NANGO EASTERN

NANGO Executive Director Presents: "The Journey So Far" — PVO Amendment Act Operationalisation At today's PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop in Mutare, NANGO Executive Director Mr. Ernest Nyimai took the floor to present "The Journey So Far: PVO Amendment Act Operationalization – Experiences of CSOs." Mr. Nyimai traced the timeline of the Act's operationalisation — from its promulgation in April 2025, through the gazetting of SI 82 of 2025 on PVO Registration Fees in August 2025, the approval of over 300 organisations by March 2026, to the gazetting of SIs 97 and 98 of 2026 in June 2026. He noted that the reconstitution of the PVO Board and establishment of a new Office of the Registrar of PVOs remain pending. Drawing on CSO experiences from across the provinces, he highlighted persistent challenges including: 🔹 Administrative and procedural gaps — including the absence of a standard registration manual, multiple office referrals, and missing applicant files 🔹 Capacity and knowledge gaps — including officials unfamiliar with the new Act and inconsistent guidance 🔹 Financial and cost burdens facing organisations, particularly smaller and community-based ones He closed with NANGO's key asks: standardisation and legal clarity through harmonised SOPs, streamlined and digitised processes, cost rationalisation and elimination of informal fees, protection of CSO mandates and civic space, and strengthened institutional capacity and accountability within regulatory bodies. A candid, evidence-based reflection on where the sector stands — and what's needed to move forward together. #T2R #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters

Understanding SI 97 of 2026: PVO Registrar's Office Presents at T2R Mutare At today's PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop in Mutare, Mr. Mahachi, representing the PVO Registrar's Office, presented an overview and interpretation guide for SI 97 of 2026. He identified four key areas the Regulations address: 1️⃣ They set out the rules for the PVO Board 2️⃣ They explain who must register as a PVO 3️⃣ They prescribe registration application and constitution requirements 4️⃣ They create rules for exemptions, temporary fundraising authority, reporting, inspections, and appeals What PVOs must do: ✅ Use the correct forms and file the right documents ✅ Ensure their constitution meets minimum content requirements ✅ Track filing timelines — the Registrar must communicate provisional approval or rejection within 90 days of a complete application ✅ Follow the exemptions route correctly ✅ Observe the conditions if collecting funds before full registration ✅ Meet ongoing reporting duties — submit audited financial statements within 90 days of audit completion, returns of office bearers within 21 days of election, and annual activity reports and returns of imported assets within 21 days after the financial year-end ✅ Tie up loose ends when surrendering a certificate or winding up — give public notice, prove lawful disposal of assets, and submit final audited financial statements ✅ Prepare for inspections and enquiries, which the Registrar can institute where evidence of maladministration exists or concerns arise from audit reports ✅ Know their appeal deadlines What the Registrar must do: 🔹 Meet processing deadlines — issue a provisional decision within 90 days and ensure applicants receive the Board's final outcome within one month 🔹 Apply the exemption framework consistently, avoiding missed timelines, inconsistent treatment, and unfair process in investigations or surrender matters 🔹 Control temporary fundraising authority through clear conditions 🔹 Enforce surrender or closure requirements 🔹 Conduct enquiries fairly This session forms part of NANGO's Talk to Your Regulator (T2R) Initiative, delivered with support from the European Union and partners COSPE and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. 📥 Download SI 97 of 2026: nangozim.org/wp-content/uplo… #TalkToYourRegulator #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters

At today's ongoing PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop in Mutare, Mr. Makaha, representing the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), presented an overview and interpretation guide for SI 98 of 2026. The Purpose of the Regulations The FIU explained that SI 98 implements a risk-based approach to PVO supervision in line with FATF Recommendation 8. It ensures that measures to prevent terrorist financing remain proportionate to actual risk, and protects the NGO sector from abuse without disrupting legitimate charitable work. Risk Categories The Registrar classifies PVOs into three categories: 🔴 High Risk — significant foreign funding from high-risk jurisdictions, operations in conflict zones, or cross-border cash movements above prescribed limits 🟡 Medium Risk — moderate domestic or foreign funding with standard operational risks 🟢 Low Risk — community-based organisations with purely domestic funding and limited turnover What the Regulations Require from PVOs PVOs must maintain internal controls proportionate to their size and risk profile, keep transaction records for at least five years, report suspicious activity promptly to the FIU, and notify the Registrar within 30 days of material changes to funding sources. Monitoring and Supervision Supervision intensity scales with risk: 🔴 High-Risk PVOs face quarterly financial returns, targeted on-site inspections, mandatory annual AML/CFT audits, and "Know Your Donor/Beneficiary" checks on transactions above US$50,000 🟡Medium-Risk PVOs submit standard annual returns and maintain donor/transaction records for five years 🟢Low-Risk PVOs use simplified annual reporting and are exempt from mandatory external AML/CFT audits Enhanced Monitoring of Specific Foreign Funding Any PVO receiving a single donation or cumulative annual funding exceeding US$5,000 from a high-risk jurisdiction faces High-Risk monitoring for that year and must submit a Foreign Funding Disclosure Form to the FIU within 30 days. Importantly, if the FIU raises no query within 14 days, the PVO may proceed — protecting humanitarian work from indefinite delay. Essential Internal Controls for PVOs Every PVO must implement governance and conflict-of-interest registers, dual-authorisation financial controls, donor and beneficiary due diligence, UN sanctions screening, and five-year record-keeping. Role of the Registrar and FIU The Registrar classifies risk, applies proportionate supervision, and can compel information where terrorist financing is suspected. The FIU processes foreign funding disclosures, maintains a public list of high-risk jurisdictions, and serves as the point of contact for international information requests — all while ensuring humanitarian and development work is not delayed. This session forms part of NANGO's Talk to Your Regulator (T2R) Initiative, delivered with support from the European Union and partners COSPE and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. 📥 Download SI 98 of 2026: nangozim.org/wp-content/uplo… #TalkToYourRegulator #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters

🎤 Ongoing in Masvingo: PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop Mr Franklin Mukwaira, NANGO's Eastern & Southern Regions Coordinator, is currently presenting on "The Journey So Far: PVO Amendment Act Operationalisation – Experiences of CSOs," tracing the road from the Act's promulgation to the gazetting of SIs 97 and 98 of 2026. The presentation is taking stock of where things stand against the sector's long-standing key asks: 🔸 Standardisation & Legal Clarity — clear, harmonised SOPs disseminated across all levels of supervision 🔸 Streamlined & Digitised Processes — efficient, transparent, trackable systems with timely feedback 🔸 Cost Rationalisation — review and elimination of excessive or informal fees 🔸 Protection of CSO Mandates & Civic Space — respect for freedom of association, governance and programming autonomy 🔸 Institutional Capacity & Accountability — strengthened oversight and ethical conduct within regulatory bodies Today's engagement is an opportunity to jointly assess how far these asks have been addressed — and what still needs to happen. Follow along as the workshop continues! 👇 #TalkToYourRegulator #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters

📍 We are LIVE in Masvingo! NANGO's 3rd leg of the PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop, under our Talk To Your Regulator Initiative, is currently underway — made possible with support from the European Union and our partners COSPE and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. Delivering welcome remarks on behalf of the NANGO Southern Region Board Chairperson, Dr. Kudakwashe Madzeke, Mr Tinashe Nyakauru is reminding participants that today's engagement is more than a compliance briefing: "For CSOs, it provides an opportunity to better understand their responsibilities under SI 97 and 98 of 2026, including the implications for governance, Boards, registration and other regulatory processes. For regulators, it provides an opportunity to hear directly from organisations about areas where clarification, guidance or further engagement may be required." The session aims to leave participants with a clearer appreciation of regulatory requirements — and, just as importantly, how to translate these into practical organisational action, reducing inadvertent non-compliance along the way. Stay tuned for more updates as the workshop continues! 👇 #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters #TalkToYourRegulator

T2R Mutare: Welcome Remarks by Misheck Mlambo — Bridging Regulation and Practice Continuing from Mr. Misheck Mlambo's Welcome Remarks — delivered on behalf of NANGO Eastern Region Board Chairperson Getrude Chimange — at today's PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop in Mutare: Mr. Mlambo noted that the intention behind these engagements is not simply to understand what the Regulations say, but what they mean in practice for PVOs, their Boards, management, and other stakeholders. He observed that for many organisations, particularly smaller and community-based ones, regulatory compliance can be challenging when requirements are not sufficiently understood, or when uncertainty exists around the procedures and documentation expected by regulatory authorities. He described the workshop as an important opportunity to bridge this information gap and better equip organisations to meet their obligations, adding: "We firmly believe that regulation and an enabling civic space are not mutually exclusive. A strong regulatory framework should be accompanied by clarity, consistency, transparency, proportionality and accessible engagement between regulators and the organisations that are required to comply with the law." Mr. Mlambo tied this back to the spirit of the Talk to Your Regulator (T2R) Initiative — which creates structured platforms for civil society and regulatory authorities to engage directly, clarify issues, share experiences, and work together to resolve sector challenges. He extended appreciation to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and other regulatory authorities for their willingness to participate, noting that continued interaction between regulators and CSOs allows both sides to better appreciate each other's realities and challenges. #T2R #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMattersis

Today's PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop in Mutare came to a close with remarks from Mrs. Matsanga, NANGO Eastern Region Board Member. In her closing remarks, Mrs. Matsanga appreciated the continued participation of the PVO Registrar's Office and the Financial Intelligence Unit of Zimbabwe in the Talk to Your Regulator (T2R) Initiative, noting how valuable their direct engagement has been for the sector. She highlighted the ongoing impact of T2R in capacitating organisations, particularly around compliance requirements, and encouraged PVOs to continue reading and familiarising themselves with the regulations — reminding participants that staying compliant is an obligation, not an option. Mrs. Matsanga also commended the immense leadership shown by NANGO Executive Director Mr. Ernest Nyimai in ensuring the organisation remains alive to the evolving needs of the sector. Sincere thanks to all who participated in today's workshop, and to our partners — the European Union, COSPE, and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum — for making this engagement possible. #TalkToYourRegulator #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters

NANGO in Mutare: Talk to Your Regulator Initiative — Leg 2 We are in Mutare today for the second leg of our PVO Regulations Sensitisation Workshop under the Talk to Your Regulator (T2R) Initiative, made possible with support from the European Union, and our partners COSPE and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. The session opened on a solemn note, with Mr. Misheck Mlambo — delivering the Welcome Remarks on behalf of NANGO Eastern Region Board Chairperson, Getrude Chimange — leading a minute of silence in honour of those lost in the Lake Kariba Ferry Disaster, the Harare-Chivhu Road Accident, and the recent tragic passing of the Bantwana Zimbabwe Executive Director. Our thoughts remain with their families, colleagues and communities. Turning to the purpose of the day, Mr. Mlambo reminded participants why these engagements matter: "As a sector, we recognise the importance of having a clear and predictable regulatory framework. Effective regulation can strengthen accountability, improve organisational governance, enhance public confidence and ensure that PVOs operate in accordance with the law. At the same time, new regulations inevitably create questions for organisations, particularly where they introduce new requirements, procedures or expectations. This is precisely why engagements such as today's are so important." Sessions like this one give organisations in the Eastern Region a direct platform to engage regulators, ask questions, and build the compliance confidence needed to operate effectively within the law. Stay tuned for more updates from today's proceedings. #T2R #KnowYourRegulations #CivicSpaceMatters

Day 2 | Winter School Session Highlights What does it take for an NGO to move from surviving to thriving? During our concluding session, “Beyond Survival: Building NGOs that Thrive in Difficult Operating Environments,” Mr. Tatenda Razawu shared practical strategies for building resilient organisations: ✅ Strong systems & operations complimented by a passionate workforce ✅ Compelling storytelling & visibility of impact ✅ Vision-aligned Boards ✅ Strategic stakeholder mapping & private sector partnerships ✅ Social enterprise approaches ✅ Accountability & legitimacy ✅ Strong compliance and excellent stewardship of partner relationships Thriving organisations don’t happen by chance—they are built through intentional leadership, sound governance, innovation and trust. #WinterSchool2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #civicspacematters

Day 2 | Winter School Session Highlights How can NGOs move beyond survival to thrive in increasingly difficult operating environments? Our third Winter School session, facilitated by Mr. Tatenda Razawu (Trócaire), explored how shifting funding dynamics and changing global priorities are affecting civil society. Participants reflected on the realities of “survival mode”—organisations operating on auto-pilot, uncertainty about the future, and compromised service delivery. Building on last year’s conversations on locally led development, the session challenged participants to rethink sustainability, resilience, and long-term impact. The NANGO Regional NGO EXPO & Winter School 2026 is supported by the European Union and partners including Christian Aid Zimbabwe, Zoe Empowers, First Mutual Health, COSPE, among others. #WinterSchool2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #civicspacematters

Day 2 | Winter School Session Highlights 🤟 Inclusion starts with communication. Our second Winter School session at the NANGO Eastern Region NGO EXPO & Winter School 2026 is introducing participants to basic sign language in partnership with Nzeve Deaf Centre. Participants are learning the sign language alphabet, everyday signs, and how facial expressions and body language play a vital role in effective communication with the Deaf community. Building inclusive organisations means ensuring that no one is left behind. #InclusiveDevelopment #WinterSchool2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #DisabilityInclusion #NGOExpo2026

📍 Day 2 is underway! The NANGO Eastern Region #NGOEXPO2026 & #WinterSchool2026 continues in Mutare under the theme: “Fortifying Civic Space and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for Effective Development Impact.” Our opening Winter School session, “Banking and Cybersecurity,” is currently in progress, facilitated by Elevation Zimbabwe Trust in partnership with CABS, equipping CSOs with practical knowledge to strengthen financial security and digital resilience. #ChangingTheNarrative #CivicSpace #CyberSecurity #FinancialInclusion

Day 1 Highlights | Opening Ceremony “Now more than ever is the time for the sector to find the people.” Representing both local and international NGOs, Mr. Milton of COSPE highlighted how shifting donor priorities are reshaping the civic space landscape. He called on CSOs to embrace locally-led development to deliver sustainable, inclusive and people-centred solutions. Together, we can strengthen communities by placing local voices at the heart of development. #NGOEXPO2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #civicspacematters

Thank you for being part of the #NANGOEasternExpo2026! 🌿 We appreciate Green Governance Zimbabwe’s commitment to advancing climate justice, environmental governance, sustainable food systems, and green entrepreneurship. Your work demonstrates the power of civil society in driving sustainable development through collaboration and community action. We encourage everyone attending the Expo to visit their stand, engage with the team, and learn more about their impactful initiatives. See you at Meikles Park, Mutare! #NGOEXPO2026 #ChnagingTheNarrative #CivicSpaceMatters

📍 HAPPENING NOW | Mutare The NANGO Eastern Region NGO Expo & Winter School 2026 opening ceremony is officially underway at Meikles Park, Mutare CBD. In her welcome address, Eastern Region Chairperson Mrs Getrude Chimange reminded participants that inclusive, participatory and coordinated partnerships are essential to maximising development impact, especially as the operating environment for CSOs continues to evolve. Follow the conversations throughout the day. #NGOEXPO2026 #CivicSpaceMatters #ChangingTheNarrative

“We will continue to reclaim our space through facts, transparency and stories grounded on impact.” — Mrs Getrude Chimange, NANGO Eastern Region Chairperson, during the official opening of the Eastern Region NGO Expo & Winter School 2026 in Mutare. The conversation on strengthening civic space continues. #NGOEXPO2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #civicspacematters

Got questions about NGOs and civil society in Zimbabwe? 🤔 Now is your chance to ask them. Join us at the NANGO Regional NGO Expo & Winter School 2026 to engage directly with Civil Society Organisations, learn about their work, share your ideas, and help shape more inclusive and sustainable programmes. 📍 Meikles Park, Mutare CBD 📅 16–17 July 2026 🕗 08:00–17:00 🎟️ FREE Admission Don’t hear about it after it’s over—be part of the conversations that matter. #NGOEXPO2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #CivicSpaceMatters

Looking for answers on PVO registration and compliance? Good news… you won’t have to search far! 😄 We’re neighbours with the MoPSLSW PVO Registrar’s Office here at the NANGO Regional NGO Expo & Winter School 2026. That means expert answers are just a few steps away! 📍 Meikles Park, Mutare 📅 Today & Tomorrow 🎟️ FREE Entry Supported by the European Union and our partners. #NGOEXPO2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #civicspacematters

The conversations are flowing, the exhibition stands are buzzing, and the NANGO Mobile Compliance Clinic is assisting organisations with practical compliance support! If you haven’t joined us yet, there’s still time to be part of the NANGO Regional NGO Expo & Winter School 2026 at Meikles Park, Mutare. 🎟️ FREE ENTRY 📍 Today & Tomorrow See you soon! #NGOEXPO2026 #ChangingTheNarrative #civicspacematters