Zimbabwe suspends 29 NGOs in drought-hit southern province

Feb 15, 2012, 15:38 GMT

Harare - A Zimbabwean official has banned 29 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including food provider Care International, from operating in a southern province currently suffering a drought, state-run radio reported on Wednesday.

The announcement by Governor Titus Maluleke of the Masvingo province has raised alarm that the move might be part of a pre-election strategy by President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, which in 2008 banned many organizations ahead of a nationwide vote.

Mugabe's party is pushing for elections this year, though the rival Movement for Democratic Change - which is in a coalition government with Zanu-PF - wants the vote delayed until a new constitution is in place

'Those organizations are suspended forthwith and they will not operate or do their activities in my province,' said Mululeke. He said the groups had not properly registered with the government.

In addition to Care, the governor also banned the Zimbabwe AIDS Network and the Zimbabwe Peace Project, which monitors political violence.

In 2008, the ban on NGOs made it more difficult for outsiders to observe the election and caused hardships among the rural poor, who are increasingly dependent on international aid for food.

The southern province is in the grip of a drought and widespread crop failures, and thousands of people there depend on handouts.

'The move has a lot of negative implications to a lot of people out there who rely on help from NGOs, especially those that were getting food aid,' said Sylvester Chinanga, chairman in Masvingo of the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations.

Mugabe, aged 87 and in failing health, has said he is determined to run again for office.

Civil society groups are pushing for the new constitution to include term limits which would make the president, in power since 1980, ineligible to participate in the election.