'We Don't Need You Here, Go To Ukraine', Govt Tells NGOs

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the country should relocate to Ukraine where there are people in need of their services, a senior government official has said.

Speaking during a devolution meeting in Gweru at the weekend, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Midlands, Larry Mavima, said the government doesn’t need NGOs anymore as it can now cater to citizens’ needs without their help. Said Mavima:

How long should we continue relying on other people? The country is built by its own people.

As much as possible we are now able to do a lot of things without NGOs. There was a time when NGOs were necessary. But we have to get out of this mentality.

I was serious when I said if there are NGOs that feel that they have something; let them go to Ukraine where there are people in need of their services because there is war.

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Here we are a peaceful country. No one is bombing us.

More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since 24 February when Russia invaded the country and started bombing cities from land, sea and air.

Meanwhile, the government is working on a new law, the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill, which seeks to restrict the operations of NGOs.

The PVO Amendment Bill, which will amend the PVO Act, is currently being debated in Parliament and has come under immense criticism as it gives the government power to regulate the operations of NGOs and disclose their sources of funding.

More: NewsDay