Civil society groups in Zimbabwe are worried that government actions — specifically a proposal to place new restrictions on NGOs’ political activities — will turn off donors and potentially cause international aid to the country to dry up.
Also in this edition: Humanitarian groups are lobbying the U.S. Congress to reconsider how the government delivers food aid during crises, and foundations discuss their efforts to shift away from traditional reporting requirements for grantees.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa could soon approve amendments to the Private Voluntary Organizations Act that would bar NGOs from engaging in political activity and open them up to penalties if they don’t comply. Further, the bill would give a newly established office the authority to collect registration fees from NGOs, writes Devex contributing reporter Daisy Jeremani.