Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa Threatens to Expel NGOs

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has threatened to expel Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from Zimbabwe saying they have lost their mandate, writes Sharleen Mohammed for New Zimbabwe. In his address to delegates at a Zanu-PF campaign rally in Chitungwiza, the president said that NGOs that defy his government's policies will be chased out of the country.

"Non-governmental organisations in this country who do not follow our mandate, I will chase them away from this country," Mnangagwa said. He added: "They must just do what they profess, what they declared they want to do in this country, this country can do without them."

Mnangagwa's statements comes in the wake of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill which top economist Prosper Chitambara warned will severely affect the nation's economy. The bill amends the PVO Act and the government says it will curb money-laundering. However, it has provisions that seek to criminalise the work of non-governmental organisations by proposing harsh penalties, including jail time of up to one year for perceived offences.