CiZC dissolves its organisational structure after 25 years, citing shrinking civic space and funding collapse

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has dissolved its organisational structure after 25 years, citing shrinking civic space, repressive laws and a collapse in donor funding (image source)

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has resolved to dissolve its current organisational structure with immediate effect following its 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 21 January 2026, citing intensifying political repression, restrictive laws and acute funding constraints.

The AGM, attended by roughly three-quarters of CiZC’s membership and convened under its 2014 constitution, concluded that the coalition’s existing operating model is no longer tenable amid what it described as a sustained assault on democratic freedoms and civic space. CiZC framed the decision as a strategic repositioning rather than a retreat, aimed at preserving pro-democracy activism under increasingly hostile conditions.

In a post-AGM statement, CiZC listed several grievances, including the enactment and enforcement of repressive legislation such as the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Act, the weaponisation of the law against civil society, and the shrinking space for peaceful assembly and dissent. The coalition also criticised Statutory Instrument 156 of 2023, which removed parliamentary oversight of the Mutapa Investment Fund, describing it as symptomatic of elite capture and a driver of public-resource looting. CiZC warned that these developments have deepened socio-economic decline and eroded post-independence gains in rights and public services.

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Funding pressures were central to the AGM’s deliberations. Delegates cited donor retrenchment and the curtailment of external support for pro-democracy actors, which have left many civic groups financially exposed. CiZC pointed to the collapse of key funding streams as having constrained advocacy, legal defence and community outreach, necessitating a rethink of organisational form and tactics. The coalition said it would explore alternative, less vulnerable modes of civic engagement while safeguarding activists and networks.

Reflecting on its 25-year history, CiZC highlighted its role in major national civic campaigns, including the Save Zimbabwe movement and advocacy that contributed to the 2008–2009 Government of National Unity. It acknowledged, however, that prolonged operation under restrictive conditions has taken a heavy toll on membership, morale and capacity. The AGM emphasised that dissolving the formal structure should not be interpreted as surrender, but as a tactical shift to protect individuals and preserve the struggle for constitutionalism and accountability.

The coalition’s statement also cited social indicators it says reflect governance failure, including rising poverty levels, collapsing public services, school dropouts and deterioration of the health system. CiZC urged citizens and remaining civic actors to continue defending constitutional rights and called on regional and international partners to push for reforms that restore civic space. How the coalition’s networks will reconstitute themselves — whether as looser alliances, issue-based platforms or discreet advocacy cells — remains uncertain.