HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed the controversial Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill into law, triggering sweeping changes to Zimbabwe’s regulatory framework for civic groups and non-governmental organisations.
The law, gazetted on Friday as Act No. 1 of 2025, amends five major pieces of legislation, including the PVO Act [Chapter 17:05], the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, and the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. It is now officially enforceable.
According to the gazetted text, the new Act gives authorities extensive powers to monitor and control the operations of private voluntary organisations, including the ability to scrutinise their ownership structures, funding sources, and affiliations.
It introduces strict definitions of “beneficial owner” and “controller,” potentially holding individuals criminally liable — including with imprisonment terms of up to 35 years — for offences related to illicit financing or misrepresentation.
The law also empowers government to deregister organisations, seize assets, or dissolve entities found to be in breach of the new provisions.
The Act establishes a Private Voluntary Organisations Board, comprised of representatives from civil society and multiple ministries, to oversee regulation of the sector.
Against intense criticism, even from the United Nations, government officials have defended the amendments as necessary to prevent the financing of terrorism and money laundering.
Human rights groups say the move could be used to target organisations that challenge state policies or expose official corruption.
