Malawi: 'Ngora Has No Power to Deregister HRDC' - Activist Slams Watchdog As Donor Fears Grow

What the report says

A dispute has escalated in Malawi after the NGO regulator, the Non-Governmental Organisations Regulatory Authority (NGORA), moved to deregister the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC). The report, published by Nyasa Times and distributed by AllAfrica, says veteran activist Redson Munlo argued that NGORA does not have the legal power to remove civil society groups from operation and described the body as lacking the authority it claims over independent organisations.

Munlo said civil society groups are not required to be members of NGORA and therefore cannot be legally deregistered by it. He also said several well-known organisations in Malawi continue their work outside NGORA’s membership structure. According to the article, NGORA announced it was revoking HRDC’s status as a civil society grouping, citing alleged operational shortcomings within the coalition.

The controversy has prompted concern among governance observers and donors, with the report warning that the move could unsettle international partners that rely on groups like HRDC to monitor transparency and public spending. The article says agencies such as the European Union, the United Kingdom and UN bodies have used such organisations for oversight and accountability checks. Analysts quoted in the piece suggested the dispute could lead to added legal scrutiny and delays in support while HRDC’s status is unresolved, raising broader concerns about civic space and donor confidence in Malawi.