U.S. terminates funding for Zimbabwe rights groups ahead of election
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS JULY 5, 2018 / 11:39 AM / UPDATED 33 MINUTES AGO
U.S. terminates funding for Zimbabwe rights groups ahead of election
Ed Cropley
4 MIN READ
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The United States has terminated funding to three Zimbabwean human rights and pro-democracy groups three weeks before an election, a move that analysts say could undermine the credibility of the countrys first post-Mugabe vote.
A U.S. embassy spokesman said the decision by USAID, Washingtons aid arm, to pull the plug followed a regular internal audit that uncovered unusual activity and non-compliance in the use of funds, without providing any details.
The affected groups are the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, Counselling Services Unit (CSU), a health clinic that provides medical treatment to victims of police torture and abuse, and Election Resource Centre (ERC).
Alongside its broader voter education work, the ERC has been working on an independent audit of the July 30 elections register of voters, a list that has been at the center of vote-rigging allegations in the past.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-zimbabwe/u-s-terminates-funding-for-zimbabwe-rights-groups-ahead-of-election-idUSKBN1JV279