State Media – The recent European Union announcement of $5,5 million funding for non-governmental organisations (NGO) calls for serious conversations regarding the role of non-state entities in Zimbabwe.

In a statement released last Tuesday, the EU said the fund is meant to capacitate civil society organisations to contribute meaningfully towards good governance and accountability.

The EU’s top diplomat in Zimbabwe, Timo Olkkonen, said the fund was meant to “strengthen civil society organisations and local authorities in partner countries with the aim of fostering an enabling environment for citizen participation and civil society action and co-operation.”
While one bears no rancour for the EU’s largesse in feeding the insatiable NGO sector, it is telling that such generosity comes after USAID terminated its contract with some civil society organisations operating in the country over greed.

The groups that had their contracts terminated include the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), the Counselling Services Unit (CSU) and the Election Resource Centre.
The US embassy’s acting public relations officer at the time, John Taylor, said: “We can confirm allegations of misuse of US funding by local Zimbabwean partners. Attempts to divert US funds from their intended use are unacceptable under any circumstances.”

The embarrassing admission of possible fraud in some NGOs by the US calls for a conversation among citizens; why is the EU still pouring huge sums of money into some of the same truant organisations?
State media