Harare-The Zimbabwean Government has threatened to close non-governmental organisations (NGO) for failing to adhere to set regulations.

In a statement, Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema called on all NGOs in the country to co-operate with the Government or risk being barred from operating.

“Let me state it again, all NGOs must work with the government or they should close their offices and each has to tell us who funds them and how they use their funds. If they do not work with the government, they are spy organisations. My ministry knows that its officers are human rights officers all the time during the performance of their duties,” he said

This is not the first time that government has threatened to deregister civic society organisations accused of dabbling in opposition politics. During President Robert Mugabe human rights NGOs were labelled “enemies of the State”.

NGOs have come to the rescue of Zimbabwe in times of drought as they provide food aid. In 2007 the Mugabe regime deregistered all NGOs and ordered them to submit new applications.