Activist disputes NGO regulator's power to deregister HRDC
Veteran activist Redson Munlo argues the Non-Governmental Organisations Regulatory Authority (NGORA) lacks legal authority to deregister the Human Rights Defenders Coalition.
Veteran activist Redson Munlo has challenged the Non-Governmental Organisations Regulatory Authority's (NGORA) move to deregister the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC). Munlo stated that civil society organisations are not legally required to register with NGORA, therefore the body cannot deregister them.
Munlo described NGORA as an association without regulatory powers over independent civil society groups. He noted that many prominent organisations in Malawi’s civic space operate without being NGORA members and continue their work. This dispute could concern international donors monitoring Malawi's democratic standing.
Development partners, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and UN agencies, rely on groups like HRDC to monitor transparency and public funds. NGORA announced the revocation of HRDC's status, citing operational shortcomings.
Why it mattersThe dispute over deregistering the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) by the NGO regulator NGORA could alarm international donors who rely on such groups for transparency monitoring.