Minister of ICT and Cyber Security Supa Mandiwanzira has issued a statement warning against the publication “on the Internet of the voters roll which includes addresses and phone numbers of the voters” saying that it is a cyber security breach.
His statement does not address the sending of personalised text messages to registered voters by his fellow Zanu-PF colleagues. Below is the full statement by Mandiwanzira:
The Ministry of ICT & Cyber Security condemns in the strongest of terms the publication on the Internet of the voters roll which includes addresses and phone numbers of the voters. This cyber security breach is unacceptable.
The Ministry is aware that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission issued a protected copy of the roll while the one that has been published on the internet is unprotected. Such data cannot and should not be made public without the permission of the voters themselves. Publication of physical addresses and phone numbers of voters without their authority is an abuse of the internet just as it is unconstitutional. The ministry hereby warns those that are publishing the unprotected voters roll and the internet service provider hosting the site to cease their actions immediately.
The ministry will not hesitate take action against those found to be undermining the people’s right to privacy. The ministry hereby warns those that are publishing the unprotected voters roll and the internet service provider hosting the site to cease their actions immediately.
The ministry will not hesitate take action against those found to be undermining the people’s right to privacy.
Hon Supa Collins Mandiwanzira Minister 10 July 2018