Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe
The civil society movement in Zambia has been cautioned to guard against diverting from their main scope of advocacy to politicking.
The Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has warned that if NGOs begin to divert from their scope of work, they risk ceasing to be part of the civil society.
Executive Director Boniface Cheembe has told Qfm News that this is why it is important for boards of civil society organizations to always keep in check the operations of their organizations by ensuring that they do not go beyond the mandate upon which they were established and exist.
He says SACCORD believes that if the civil society movement is to continue retaining its legitimacy in Zambia, the focus of being a partner to the government must be consistent.
Mr. Cheembe has explained that this means that civil society organizations must always endeavor to stick to their specific mandates and ensure that they continue to serve their constituencies.
He says issue of advocacy for change and mere politicking must be differentiated if a civil society organization wants to remain in the civil society or wants to join political society.