The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) says the sending of unsolicited political messages to mobile phone users violates the Cyber and Data Protection Act.
This comes after voters across the country have been bombarded with messages purportedly from President Emmerson Mnangagwa soliciting votes ahead of forthcoming general elections.
MISA has written a letter to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) dated 11 April asking how third parties were accessing citizens’ personal data, including phone numbers.
In the letter, MISA Zimbabwe chapter director Tabani Moyo noted that the messages were based on constituency segmentations as per the voters’ roll. Part of the letter reads:
<blockquote>
Over the past few weeks, mobile phone users have reported receiving unsolicited political messages that are personalised and highly targeted through local and constituency-based segmentation.
The messages’ personalisation and targeted nature are closely related to the information in the voters’ roll.
There is every reason to believe that the unsolicited texts violate the Cyber and Data Protection Act which governs the use of personal biometric data.
The Act states that the use of personal biometric data in this way is prohibited unless the data subject gives consent in writing.
… In that regard, MISA Zimbabwe seeks to know how third parties have access to subscriber numbers and are sending unsolicited messages in a possible breach of the law.
</blockquote>
One of the messages sent to a subscriber reads:
<blockquote>
Kwaziwai. Iyi ndiyo WhatsApp nhamba yangu yeSeke 0719******, ichengetedzei mufoni menyu nekuzivisa vamwe vagari vemaSeke. Ndichange ndichikuzivisai paWhatsApp STATUS yangu, zvirikuitwa nehurumende kuvaka nyika yedu nemuno maSeke. Ndatenda, ndini wenyu President ED Mnangagwa.
</blockquote>
Moyo indicated that mobile telecommunication operators, that is Econet, NetOne, and Telecel, as well as Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZZEC) have denied leaking citizens’ personal information to ZANU PF.
He said POTRAZ ought to clarify the matter and ensure that citizens’ right to privacy will remain protected.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Unsolicited ED Mnangagwa Texts Illegal - MISA

Opposition ZAPU says it is not desperate for coverage by the country’s sole public broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), ahead of the by-elections scheduled for 26 March.
ZAPU spokesperson Msongelwa Ndlovu told OpenParly that ZBC only provided coverage for the opposition when it served the interests of the ruling ZANU PF. Said Ndlovu:
<blockquote>
The truth of the matter is that we have not received any coverage whatsoever from ZBC, we are not surprised. The only time they will cover you is when the coverage benefits ZANU PF.
So we are not desperate for them to cover us at all although we know that they run through funding from ordinary citizens.
We will not beg them (ZBC) to cover us. We are very glad about the coverage that we are getting from private media, and we have made inroads with regard to social media.
So we have means through which we can engage the general citizenry and the potential voters. 
ZAPU’s position is a departure from past outcry by opposition parties on the eve of elections bemoaning the need for electoral reforms.
</blockquote>
On 21 January, the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) wrote to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) asking the broadcaster to be neutral and grant equal access for political parties as directed by the High Court and recommended by election observer missions.
MISA said that ZBC had not complied with the court ruling and the ruling ZANU PF party’s rivals could be denied coverage in forthcoming elections.
<h4>More: <a href="https://openparly.com/index.php/2022/02/11/electionszw-we-are-not-desperate-for-zbc-coverage-says-zapu/">OpenParly</a></h4>

ZAPU 'Not Desperate' For ZBC Coverage

The Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) has written to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) asking the broadcaster to be neutral and grant equal access for political parties as directed by the High Court and recommended by election observer missions.
In a letter dated 21 January 2022, MISA Zimbabwe director Tabani Moyo reminded ZBC of its obligations under the national constitution. Said Moyo:
<blockquote>
Section 160 of the Electoral Act requires a public broadcaster to afford all political parties contesting elections such free access to its broadcasting services as may be prescribed.
It is in that regard that the High Court of Zimbabwe and several election observer missions came up with several recommendations on how the public media, ZBC and Zimpapers, should cover the country’s elections following the conclusion of Zimbabwe’s 2018 harmonised elections.
</blockquote>
In June 2019, Justice Joseph Mafusire said ZBC and Zimpapers had violated the constitution with their partisan reporting. He ordered ZBC and Zimpapers:
<blockquote>
… to ensure their communications do not show bias in favour of one political party or its candidates and that they exercise impartiality and independence in their duties.
</blockquote>
MISA Zimbabwe said that ZBC has not complied with the court ruling and the ruling ZANU PF party’s rivals could be denied coverage in forthcoming elections.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/2022/01/28/misa-presses-zbc-over-political-bias-ahead-of-by-elections/">ZimLive</a></h4>

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