The NGO Regulatory Authority (NGORA) has assured NGOs that the regulations developed to operationalize the NGO (Amendment Act) are not designed to infringe on civic space, but rather promote it.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interface meeting with CSOs under National Advocacy Platform (NAP), NGORA Chief Executive Officer Edward Chileka-Banda, said the Authority has taken note the concerns raised by the NGOs on issues such as disclosure of sources of funds and politicking and electioneering.
On the disclosure of funds, Chileka-Banda said that it is a statutory requirement for all NGOs working in Malawi to disclose the sources of their funding.
“NGOs should not be afraid that if we disclose the sources of our funds then we are not going to be allowed to operate in Malawi. The disclosure id to protect Malawians as we are dealing with terrorism, money laundering issues. There could be funds that come in to the country to finance terrorism, and worldwide there is such undertaking to ensure that government is aware of who is supporting this country.
NGOs working on minority rights and any other forms of rights should not be afraid disclosing source of funding, disclosing sources of funding is important and we the Regulatory Authority will ensure that there is protection for that particular information,” he said.
On NGOs participation in political campaigns such as the 50:50, Chileka-Banda said the Authority is not stopping NGOs from participating in the campaign, he however urged NGOs not to be partisan in such work.
“The issue of 50:50 campaign is a human rights issue, NGOs are allowed to campaign for women, young people and persons with disabilities, but they should not do it to favour a particular candidate or political party,” he added.
Meanwhile Director of Civil Society Coalition (CSEC) Benedicto Kondowe said, that there is a need for civic space to be promoted as there are changes within the civic space in the country since the dawn of the multiparty democracy.
He then urged NGORA to find ways of addressing the concerns of the NGOs in the regulations that are being developed. Among other things, he urged NGORA to streamline the disclosure of the information on NGO sources of funding so that not everyone should have access to it.
“Funding from NGOs should be disclosed to NGORA, but some donors may withdraw their funding once disclosed to the public, so NGORA should ensure that the information is not shared with everyone,” he said.
NGORA had an interface meeting with CSOs on the State of Civic Space in Malawi- NGO Act 2022.