STATEMENT BY OYV ON THE INERTIA TO IN THE UPND REGIME TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE NGO ACT NO. 16 OF 2009

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)
Plot No. 742 Lilanda Estate – Matero Constituency LUSAKA
Phone: 0760707858, 0955-769688:– Baobab RD Down Kawama area
P.O. Box 30153: Email: oyvleader2000@gmail.com FB: Operation Young Vote
All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Director

Guess Nyirenda

27/02/2024: STATEMENT BY OYV ON THE INERTIA TO IN THE UPND REGIME TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE NGO ACT NO. 16 OF 2009

It is extremely regrettable that the UPND Regime seems to be relaxed on delivering on the Repeal and Replacement of the Repressive and Draconian NGO Act No. 16 of 2009, a law they campaigned to deal with as soon as they assumed office. We are almost getting into the third year of the rule of the UPND and nothing seems to be in the offing since the Bill was completed and ready to be tabled before Parliament over a year and half ago, apart from the inertia we continue to witness.
The UPND has unfortunately not taken advantage of the “low hanging fruits” in their execution of their mandate which includes legislative reforms.
Today 27th February, 2024 marks yet another World NGO Day commemoration and looking back in history especially the previous World NGO Day specifically that of 2023 – the UPND Regime did pledge to given the Zambian people an NGO legislation that promotes civic space in doing away with the current draconian one.
Today another World NGO Day has come and nothing is in the offing.
The theme for this year’s (Today’s) World NGO Day is “Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of NGOs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a great, beautiful and inspiring theme especially where government appreciates the work and role of NGOs in national development. However this theme means nothing in a place where the law governing the sector is repressive and draconian.
As we wish the NGOs in Zambia a happy and pleasant World NGO Day commemorations today and for this year, as OYV we would be failing in our duties to remind the UPND Regime that their governance will become and remain an efficacy one if they expeditiously repealed and replaced the NGO Act No. 16 of 2009 as opposed to keeping it in it under the status quo.
It is our prayer that whatever inertia is making the government not to move quickly and now will have dare consequences and may cost the party the trust they earned from the Zambian NGO fraternity and the citizenry at large.
Since we have a listening administration- we wish our sector a happy World NGO Day and commemorations today and a successful and fruitful year as we all implement the theme of “Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of NGOs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). If indeed UPND is a listening Regime it will ensure that it quickens the tabling of the NGO Bill to Repeal and Replace the NGO Act in this current sitting of Parliament, we wait and see.

For and on behalf of:
Operation Young Vote (OYV)

Guess Nyirenda
Executive Director