Non-Governmental Organizations not living up to their mandate

The term Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) encompasses a wide variety of organizations which include Private Voluntary Organization (PVOs), Civil Society and Non-Profit Organizations which are organized outside institutionalized political structures to realize particular social objectives such as environmental protection or to serve a particular community such as indigenous people.

Non-Governmental Organizations are quite necessary in the day to day functioning of a nation.

There are a number of services and activities that NGOs must concern themselves with.

It is the role of NGOs to foster cooperation and communication among themselves to reinforce their effectiveness as actors in the implementation of sustainable development. NGOs should help in providing basic needs to Zimbabwean vulnerable citizens. Subsequently, NGOs should provide services such as medical assistance, food aid and other material if such are needed.

Sadly, that is not the case in Zimbabwe where the donor community seems to be visible only during election time and disappear when elections are over. During the July 2013 elections, numerous NGOs were making a lot of noise purporting to be safeguarding the livelihoods of Zimbabweans.
 Surprisingly, most of them are nowhere to be found yet the government is grappling to provide for the victims of the Tokwe Murkosi floods who are camped at Chingwizi.

NGOs who were assisting flood victims at Chingwizi Camp in Mwenezi withdrew their services at a time when their services were most needed.

It is disheartening however, to note that, most NGOs now occupy themselves with interfering with the political affairs of their host nations. Some of these non-profit organizations undermine the country's sovereignty through creating and sustaining opposition political groups that are foreign based.

Some NGOs want their operations to be distanced from the Government in efforts to conceal translucence of their operations. At a National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO) conference held in Harare, one of the NGOs representatives from Mutare called for the powers of the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to be plugged off.

"We propose that the appointing powers of the minister be clipped and the terms of those board members be limited to a maximum of two.  Too much Government involvement is diluting our thrust and making our operations more difficult," he said.

At that same conference NANGO chairman, Sydney Chisi said the composition board of the Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) makes it appear like a Government department.

"Government's involvement in NGOs is making us weaker, which should not be the case …," he said.

I believe the Government should continue working hand in glove with these NGOs in order to monitor their activities. NGOs should focus more on food security, social services delivery and poverty reduction. On the other hand, NGOs should abide by the law so that Government will not interfere with their operations.