Government regulation of civil society in the southern African development community region has become a topical issue in Zambia. The subject of regulating non governmental organisations has not spared the Zambian community.

Both local and international NGOs have cried foul over government’s intentions to regulate them. Civil society organisations in Zambia, led by the Zambia council for social development (ZCSD), civil society for poverty reduction (CSPR), the foundation for democratic process (FODEP), non governmental coordinating council (NGOCC), the southern African centre for constructive resolution of disputes (SACCORD), and the law association of Zambia (LAZ), have since objected the government proposed NGO Bill 2007.

Local civil society organisations and international non governmental organisations have petitioned parliament on the need to withdraw the bill so as to allow for broad based consultations.

However, while government has since deferred debate on the 2007 NGO Bill, which was at committee stage, stakeholders are calling for a complete withdrawal of the NGO Bill 2007, which was tabled before parliament by Zambia’s justice minister George Kunda.

“We thank God for listening to our cries”, ZCSD executive secretary Reverend Malawo Matyola said moments after the deferrement of the NGO Bill 2007 when pressed for a comment.

Saccord executive director Lee Habasonda, Fodep executive director, Elijah Rubvuta and citizens forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda echoed Reverend Malawo calling for a complete withdrawal of the NGO bill.

“Let government withdraw the NGO bill so that consensus can be reached on this piece of legislation because process determines content” Habasonda.

The NGOs have equally challenged government to stop receiving monetary support from the donor community.
Reacting to persistency accusations by government that NGOs were agents of western imperialists’ forces, Habasonda retorted that if it were so, it invariably meant that African governments should also stop getting donor support.

He said media and NGOs all needed to be self regulated, so as to offer effective checks and balances on central government socio-economic performance.

In discussing this subject citizen’s forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda paused a question on the Zambian government’s reasoning: “How do they operate?” Kabanda quizzed.

Kabanda goes on: “What are the different categories of NGOs in Zambia? Are they all treated in the same way? How do the different types of NGOs participate in governance? Do they all relate well with government”?

He said the return to plural politics in Zambia has brought with it a pronounced presence of civil society organisations.

Kabanda added that there have been formed some NGOs whose business is civic education.

He explained that one of the contributions made by such NGOs is that through civic education many people have become enlightened.

“Civic education has contributed to the creation of a critical mass in Zambians. Many people in Zambia today ask one basic question, and that is why? They look around their environment and question whatever is happening around them”. Kabanda wondered.

He said In the area of governance, the Zambian people keep asking why they are being governed in a certain way. He said Zambians ask why government decides to take certain decisions. He said they ask why government fails to take certain actions.

“Because Zambians are now a critical mass they ask the why of about everything. Apart from civic education, such NGOs are involved in advocacy work. They keep government on its toes, reminding it of its obligations towards its citizens”, Citizens forum executive director said.

“Consequently government feels uncomfortable when Zambians ask questions about how they are being governed. For this reason civic education and advocacy NGOs are accused of involving themselves in politics”. He said.

He said there is another category of NGOs that government feels comfortable with. These are NGOs that are involved in charity work. Kabanda said Government is comfortable with NGOs that are involved in providing community service that does not result in creating a critical mass.

He said Government is comfortable with NGOs which provide socio-economic services in areas such as health, education, agriculture, and so on and so forth.

“For this reason such NGOs are referred to as those involved in development work. They are known as NGOs that are involved in poverty eradication”, Kabanda explained.

“Are the two categories of NGOs not important and necessary at the same level? Is one of them more important than the other? Which of the two contributes positively to the development of the country and its people? Kabanda questions.