via Moyo moves to undermine Western support for civil society | SW Radio Africa by Alex Bell on Thursday, May 8, 2014
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo has moved to undermine the financial support of civil society groups in Zimbabwe, recommending that any international funding for such groups be diverted to the government instead.
Moyo was speaking to the Dutch ambassador, Gera Sneller, this week and according to the state run Herald, he said that “channeling aid through the civil society was equivalent to disapproving the government of the day.”
Sneller reportedly then said that her government was looking at how to support ZANU PF’s ZimAsset economic blueprint.
“We have been providing aid for a long time, but the private sector now has to replace aid because working together through the private sector is the most sustainable way for development on both sides, not giving handouts,” said Ambassador Sneller.
Western governments have been providing millions of dollars in aid and financial support to civil society initiatives in Zimbabwe, with direct government aid being suspended as a result of the ZANU PF regime’s financial mismanagement of the country.
Western aid has ensured that Zimbabweans have access to necessities like medicine, food and water, which ZANU PF has failed to provide for years. At the same time, civil society funding means there has been a voice and support for Zimbabweans during the country’s most difficult political struggles.
Thabani Nyoni, the Director of the Bulawayo Agenda civil society group, said that the existence of such groups was vital for a democratic society, because they hold the government to account of behalf of the public.
“In Zimbabwe it is most important that civil society is supported, because the country is still in transition. Civil society plays an important role in ensuring that citizens are informed and it should be supported,” Nyoni told SW Radio Africa.
Nyoni said that the comments by Moyo are a sign of “desperation and dishonesty,” from an insincere government.
“This is the same government that promised reforms. The belief that civil society is the opposition, an unwanted institutional structure that should not be allowed to survive, shows the lack of sincerity of this government that does not believe in democracy, pluralism and divergent opinions,” Nyoni said.
COMMENTS
Moyo was speaking to the Dutch ambassador, Gera Sneller, this week and according to the state run Herald, he said that “channeling aid through the civil society was equivalent to disapproving the government of the day.”
Wow! The man is a genius!
For “government” read “thieves”….
They are out to destroy any organised groups. This is how the MDC came to being .They are scared of a strong civic gouging. this is the last frontier.
This Jonathan guy is among the top five leading enemies of the people of Zimbabwe’s freedom. Don’t be woodwinked by his desperate attempts to buy time for his rotten regime through the corruption exposes~, those are faction related and have nothing to do with the freedom and justice for Zimbabweans. Zimbabweans will have justice one day for sure!!!
Then the fund will never reach its destination.
Good one ZimJim, funny that no-one wants to work with ZANU on anything!
Times are bad now, imagine when the people of Zimbabwe finally realise the only reason the have had education, medicine, and food is because of the vile, sanction imposing, West, and the spigot is switched off. If the West stopped all funding for three months Zanu PF would implode as the country ground to a complete stop. The West however does not have the stomach to see the People of Zimbabwe suffer more than they do today.
Wake up, Jonathan. You want money from everyone else except yours and your chomies. Diaspora, now civil society. Well, who is neyt ? Aa why dont you try churches and Pastors. You idiot, come up with something ingenious man. If not keep quiet. You wil still get paid handsomely.
Am a bit disappointed the ambassador did not give moyo the reason they vhose to channek funds through civil society over govt in the first place. This is the opportunity to make govt check its own actions and progress in moving away from the policies that have made it a pariah. I guess if forced, the foreign govts will just stop the aid and squeeze Zim further. Who doesnt know that ZANUs will convert the aid for to personal use by a few who actually don’t require any aid.