Global child rights development organization Plan International wishes to clarify and correct gross inaccuracies and misconceptions in a story published on August 12, 2011 entitled: Mutare based NGO ‘campaigns’ for ZANU PF governor” See original
We wish to respond to the issues point by point, for the benefit of the reading public, as follows:
1.The story alleges that Plan is a Mutare based NGO – this is not true as Plan is an international development agency with offices in 60 countries globally. Its head office in Zimbabwe is based in Harare. In Zimbabwe, Plan operates in 8 program units of which Mutare is one.
2.The story also erroneously states that Plan openly campaigned for one of the political parties in Zimbabwe, namely Zanu PF. This is not true. Our philosophy which dates back more than 70 years is that we have no political or religious affiliations.
3. Plan’s mandate in Zimbabwe is clearly spelt out in its registration certificate under the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act which is to “enable deprived children, their families and communities to meet their basic rights and to increase their ability to participate in and benefit from their societies”.
4.The story makes reference to a handover of a project at Karirwi Secondary School in Mutare to which one of a Member of Parliament of the Constituent was allegedly not invited. The truth of the matter is that the event was organized by the community of Ward 18 Mutare West and Plan was itself one of the invited organizations.
5.It is true that the Member of Parliament referred to in the article approached our Managers in Mutare requesting to be invited to the event, to which he was advised that Plan was not the convener of the meeting. He was referred to the community in Ward 18 Mutare.
6.Information at hand is that the Community of Ward 18 in Mutare invited the MP to the meeting, which was officiated by the Provincial Governor.
7.We also want to categorically refute that the Plan built a classroom block at the school and 'named it' after the Provincial Governor. The school was officially opened by the provincial governor in 2008 as the senior most government official in the province. This is a normal practice in many parts of the world where the person who officially opens the school is recorded as having done so.
8.We also want to make it clear that Plan has a clear policy of remaining apolitical in all its operations and this also extends to all its members of staff who are bound by the policy.
On behalf of:
Else Kragholm
Plan Zimbabwe, Country Director
August 12, 2011
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