HARARE – The validity of Zimbabwe’s newly gazetted Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Act has come under scrutiny, following revelations that significant changes were made to the Bill after it was passed by the Senate — raising constitutional concerns.
According to a legal analysis by Veritas, a leading legal watchdog, the final version of the Act signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa differs from the Bill approved by Parliament, thereby breaching section 131 of the Constitution which requires that a Bill must be passed in identical form by both the National Assembly and Senate before it becomes law.
“In light of these discrepancies, the amendment Act cannot be regarded as an accurate reflection of the Bill that was passed by the Senate,” Veritas warned. “This effectively invalidates it because it does not represent the will of Parliament.”
The law, now published as Act 1 of 2025 in the Government Gazette on April 11, seeks to reform the regulation of non-governmental organisations operating in Zimbabwe. But critics argue that what has been enacted into law includes material alterations that were never debated or approved by lawmakers.
Among the contentious changes are the inclusion of a preamble and a long title — both absent in the original Senate version — and amendments to the structure and powers of the PVO Board. Notably, the Senate-approved Bill had proposed abolishing the PVO Board altogether, yet the gazetted Act introduces a restructured board instead.
Veritas also took issue with altered registration timelines for NGOs, another clause that deviates from the parliamentary consensus.
“Clearly that did not happen in the case of the PVO Amendment Act,” Veritas concluded in its analysis, declaring, “the Act is invalid.”
This is not the first time the Bill’s legislative journey has been clouded by controversy. In 2024, similar procedural inconsistencies prompted President Mnangagwa to recommit the Bill to the Senate for further scrutiny.
Veritas has since published both the Senate version of the Bill and a consolidated version of the PVO Act on its website for public access.
ZimLive reported on the growing concern, quoting legal experts who warned that enacting a law in contravention of constitutional procedures could set a dangerous precedent.
As the debate continues, pressure is mounting on authorities to address the legal irregularities and uphold parliamentary integrity.
