By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Council of NGOs in Zambia has expressed concerned by the practices of past and present administrations through Cabinet Office to exclude, inviting, the NGOs sector at state functions.
Council of NGOs Chairperson McDonald Chipenzi said despite the Council of NGOs in Zambia being a recognized by statutory body under the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MoDCSS), Cabinet Office has been excluding this sector.
Mr Chipenzi said the recent exclusion is the recent Independence Day Commemoration which took place yesterday.
He said Government found it fit to invite all, including political parties with one man membership, but failed to extend the same invitation to the NGOs sector.
Mr Chipenzi said that the recognition and respect of this body of all NGOs in Zambia in particular and the NGO sector in daily engagement will be cardinal in furthering working relationships with the NGOs.
He said the NGO sector will be critical also for the promotion of leadership in transparency and accountability in the utilisation of these Government resources to be channelled to the Local communities
“As the Council of NGOs in Zambia, we look forward to the effective and constructive participation and engagement of the NGO sector with government including its organs and institutions, donor communities, political parties and religious groups to deliver help and hope and a better Zambia, a Zambia we want to all without leaving anyone behind,” he said..
Mr Chipenzi said the Council of NGOs in Zambia will soon engage various ministries including Cabinet Office over this anomaly in Govenance and the poor handling of the NGO sector in Zambia so far.
