NGOs wish for policy redraft

Civil society organisations (CSOs) have asked government to reinstitute consultations before adoption of the draft non-governmental organisations (NGO) policy, claiming government drafted it with ill-will.

The CSOs are alleging that the policy was not drafted in good faith as it was done without proper consultations for government to use as a weapon of weakening and policing NGO operations in the country.

But government has described those rejecting the policy as “hypocrites” who are against the drive to advance accountability within the NGO sector.

Executive director of Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Timothy Mtambo said through the policy, government was creating excessive bureaucracies to complicate operations of NGOs.

“For example, government is proposing that NGOs should be handing over project assets such as computers and vehicles to the NGO board if the project comes to an end,” he said.

However, special adviser to the President on civil society and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Mavuto Bamusi, dispelled CSOs’ fears that government wants to use the policy to stifle their space, saying the idea is to champion NGO and civil society accountability. n