The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has raised alarm over recent remarks by Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa insinuating that the government had set up a cyber team to monitor what people send and receive on social media.
“We have actually come up with a cyber-team that is constantly on social media to monitor what people send and receive since we cannot wish social media away,” Mutsvangwa said.
CiZC said Mutsvangwa’s remarks comes at a time the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill awaits President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s approval and if passed violates the right to privacy.
“Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has noted with great concern, plans by the government to restrict freedom of speech and expression through the deployment of a cyber team to monitor citizens on social media.
“The announcement comes at a time the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill which passed through the Senate in July 2021 is awaiting Presidential assent. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is on record criticizing the proposed law for seeking to snoop on citizens thereby violating the right to privacy, freedom of speech as well as access to information,” note CiZC
The coalition said the move is only meant to suppress dissenting voices and to further shrink the democratic space.
“We note with concern that the ruling party, Zanu PF continues to use harsh cyber laws to entrench political power while at the same time coming up with a raft of measures to restrict free speech, right of privacy and access to information.
“We are concerned that the move by the government lacks a pro-human rights approach and is essentially meant to entrench political power through snooping on citizens and clamping down on dissenting voices. The move is thus part of efforts by the government to further shrink the democratic space and violate citizens’ fundamental rights.
“Social media has proved to be an effective tool in exposing rights abuses as well as corruption and the government’s recent move must be seen as an attempt to instill fear and silence whistleblowers.” said the coalition
The coalition called for an independent body to monitor activities on social media rather than making it the sole responsibility of the government.
