Mnangagwa Signs PVO Amendment Into Law

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has officially signed the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill into law, marking a significant step in tightening the regulatory framework for charities and non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe.

According to The Herald, the new legislation was gazetted yesterday under General Notice 620 of 2025 by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya.

“The following law, which was assented to by His Excellency the President, is published in terms of subsection 6 (a) of section 131 of the PVO Amendment Act (No.1) of 2025,” Dr Rushwaya announced.

The PVO Amendment Act is designed to align Zimbabwe’s legal framework with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, particularly those targeting the misuse of charitable organisations for money laundering and terrorist financing.

Key elements of the Act include:

• A broader and more precise definition of “funds or other assets” to include virtually all forms of financial and material assets.
• An updated definition of “Private Voluntary Organisation” to ensure full coverage of potentially high-risk entities.
• Enhanced powers for the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Reserve Bank to support the PVO Registrar in monitoring compliance and flagging suspicious activity.
• Provisions that bring previously exempt trusts under the scope of mandatory PVO registration.

Importantly, while the law excludes certain community fundraising efforts such as those done for hospitals or schools from being defined as PVOs, such activities may still be monitored if conducted by high-risk entities.

Clause Six of the Act introduces a sweeping change: organisations that were not previously required to register under the PVO framework particularly those receiving foreign funding for charitable work must now register, though a grace period will be provided to allow for compliance.

This legislative shift is set to bring increased transparency and accountability to the charitable sector, while also reinforcing national efforts to combat financial crimes.