In
a
joint
statement
released
on
Tuesday,
the
CSOs
said
the
law
“threatens
to
shut
down
civic
space,
criminalise
CSOs’
legitimate
activities,
and
undermine
Zimbabwe’s
constitutional
democracy.”
The
legislation,
which
was
officially
gazetted
on
11
April
2025,
comes
despite
years
of
sustained
opposition
from
civil
society,
including
formal
submissions
to
parliament,
engagement
with
the
Attorney
General’s
Office,
and
a
high-level
meeting
with
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
in
March
2023.
“A
significant
milestone
in
CSOs
advocacy
was
the
meeting
with
President
Mnangagwa
on
17
March
2023,
following
which
he
temporarily
withheld
assent
to
the
Bill
—
a
hopeful
indication
of
constructive
engagement,”
the
CSOs
said.
“However,
the
enactment
of
the
PVO
Amendment
Act
is
a
betrayal
of
dialogue
and
citizen
involvement
in
governance.”
Critics
say
the
law
was
pushed
through
without
adequate
public
consultation,
with
some
hearings
reportedly
marred
by
violence
and
intimidation.
“Public
consultations
in
Harare,
Chinhoyi,
Gweru,
and
Masvingo
were
marred
by
violence
and
intimidation,
forcing
legislators
to
abandon
proceedings
and
silencing
the
citizens’
voices,”
the
statement
read.
The
CSOs
argue
that
not
only
does
the
law
contradict
Zimbabwe’s
Constitution,
but
it
also
disregards
international
legal
obligations
under
treaties
such
as
the
International
Covenant
on
Civil
and
Political
Rights
(ICCPR).
They
also
noted
that
a
clause
referencing
compliance
with
the
Financial
Action
Task
Force
(FATF)
was
removed,
despite
previous
justifications
citing
FATF
standards.
“This
demonstrates
a
wilful
disregard
of
global
guidance.
FATF
and
UN
Special
Procedures
have
recommended
that
the
need
for
compliance
with
the
FATF
Standards
and
Recommendations
should
not
be
used
as
a
justification
for
closing
civic
space,”
they
said.
The
concerns
are
not
new.
In
December
2021,
four
United
Nations
Special
Rapporteurs
warned
that
the
legislation
could
“have
grave
consequences
for
the
exercise
of
civil
and
political
rights,
including
the
right
to
freedom
of
association
of
PVOs
in
Zimbabwe.”
A
follow-up
letter
from
the
same
UN
officials
in
November
2024
reiterated
their
reservations
and
urged
the
Zimbabwean
government
not
to
proceed
with
the
amendments.
Despite
these
warnings,
the
government
proceeded
with
the
legislation.
The
CSOs
claim
this
move
reflects
suspicion
and
hostility
towards
their
work,
which
they
say
has
been
pivotal
in
national
development
and
humanitarian
relief
over
the
last
three
decades.
“CSOs
in
Zimbabwe
have
historically
supported
national
development
and
human
rights,
from
the
liberation
struggle
to
post-independence
reconstruction,”
the
statement
said.
“Rather
than
recognising
the
role
of
CSOs
as
genuine
development
partners,
this
law
seeks
to
stifle
CSO
operations
and
criminalise
genuine
contributions.”
The
organisations
are
now
calling
for
the
repeal
of
the
PVO
Amendment
Act
and
for
the
government
to
uphold
both
constitutional
rights
and
international
human
rights
obligations.
“We
urge
the
Government
of
Zimbabwe
to
repeal
the
PVO
Amendment
Act
to
safeguard
civic
space,
constitutionalism
and
restore
public
trust,”
the
statement
concluded.
The
joint
statement
was
endorsed
by
more
than
40
organisations,
including
Amnesty
International
Zimbabwe,
Zimbabwe
Lawyers
for
Human
Rights,
the
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
NGO
Forum,
and
Transparency
International
Zimbabwe.