Cyber laws to be tightened after internet becomes free zone for lies, insults – Ziyambi

By Auther Chimbgwa

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says government is considering tightening laws governing use of the internet space after “untrained non-journalists” have stormed the cyber space to hurl insults and spew unsubstantiated claims over others.

Ziyambi was speaking in parliament this past Wednesday after he was asked by Zanu PF Zvimba East Member of Parliament Kudakwashe Mananzva during the ministers’ question time on what government had in store for “people who speak ill of other people” and those who “sing in vulgar language” on social media.

Minister Ziyambi said the Data Protection Bill enacted by government to respond to the advent of the internet “tried to touch on the issue of restraining people from publishing lies”.

“Even our laws do not allow people to use hate speech,” he said, adding, “…the problem which we have right now is that social media is now full of people who are not journalists, who are not guided by operational procedures, they are not trained as journalists.

“Hence, the problem which we have right now is, we now need to educate people on the dangers of going on social media publishing something which you do not have enough evidence with, especially things that denigrate other people’s behaviour, among other things.

“We are going to discuss with the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services to come up with a proper law or to strengthen the existing laws to curb this issue.

“It is very bad to talk bad about someone, so we are going to sit down and strengthen our laws to curb this scourge in the country, but it needs our combined efforts as citizens.

“We all must know that we have our way of living as Zimbabweans. We are not people from other races, neither do we follow other people’s races and their ways of life.”

He further was asked by Mbizo Member of Parliament Corban Madzivanyika if the government does not risk falling foul of the constitution which “provides for the freedom of expression where people are allowed to express themselves freely without any censorship”.

Madzivanyika asked how “are we going to draw the line between someone who said, to be criticising and censorship? How are we going to draw the line”.

In his response, Ziyambi said the “Constitution allows for freedom of expression, freedom of speech but our Constitution does not give you the liberty to attack somebody with unsubstantiated statements or to deliberately say statements that are false under the guise of freedom of expression.”

“Where you have a right, you have an obligation also,” he said, adding, “Rights come with obligations to ensure that you also observe competing rights…whenever you speak ill of somebody, you must have substantive information to that effect.

“The moment you spread falsehoods, even your conscience will be telling you that what I am doing is wrong. So, we should never hide under the freedom of expression banner to spread falsehoods.”