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Tawanda Musarurwa, Harare Bureau

Government will expedite the promulgation of the Cybercrime and Cyber Security Bill into law amid growing concerns over social media abuse and the proliferation of fake news.

Speaking at the launch of a Community Information Centre in Charandura, ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Kazembe Kazembe said political hooligans were now hijacking social media platforms to push their political agendas through fake news.

“We are now working hard to bring the Cybercrime and Cyber Security Bill into law. We now realise that it is long overdue with the rampant abuse of social media platforms.

“Social media abusers have become so wanton that they are now even going to the extent of creating false death notices, which goes against our culture as a people. 

“I urge users of this new Community Information Centre to use it responsibly,” he said. 

Cybercrimes are on the rise in Zimbabwe on the back of a rise in mobile telephony and broadband penetration. 

Meanwhile, the ICT Minister said the CIC concept is well in line with the Government’s goal of achieving an upper-middle income economy by 2030.

“The aim of the Community Information Centre concept is to create centres where the community can access and use ICTs to promote their businesses, advance their education and improve their livelihood.

“In this regard, Charandura Community Information Centre is furnished with modern computers that are connected to the internet. It will provide basic electronic services such as Internet surfing, electronic mail service, printing, scanning, photocopying and document binding for your convenience. 

“14 CICs have been established in Midlands Province alone. All of them including Charandura CIC are now operational,” said Minister Kazembe.