Story by Wellington Makonese
THE enactment of Zimbabwe’s Private Voluntary Organisations Act is being hailed for promoting order, accountability, and coordination within the civic sector, while allowing compliant organisations to contribute effectively to national development and heritage preservation.
Gazetted in April 2025, the Act provides clear operational guidelines for voluntary organisations, reinforcing transparency and restoring public confidence in civic initiatives that align with national interests.
Before the law came into effect, the sector operated under outdated legislation, resulting in weak oversight, mistrust and fragmented activities often detached from national priorities.
“We want to thank the Government for allowing PVOs to operate in an orderly manner. As the President says, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.’ Our duty is to ensure that our museums and monuments reflect the value of the sacrifices made,” National Chairperson Friends of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, Cde Wellington Charuka said.
“It comes at a time when international space there are issues of money laundering, terrorism being funded by NGOs and then locally there were NGOs going into politics, yet others came as NGOs, I think aligning this to the constitutions does bring sanity and accountability in the country. This is a welcome development, and this is a sanity that Zimbabwean people want,” Political Analyst, Mr Takudzwa Gambiza said.
Zimbabwe’s PVO framework mirrors international practice, with countries such as South Africa, Kenya and the United Kingdom regulating voluntary organisations through clear legal systems to ensure accountability, transparency and alignment with national laws.
