Picture 1: Screen shot (2018) @TechZim Picture 2: Screen shot (2023) @MISA Zimbabwe On 12 April 2023, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) demanded POTRAZ, the dual data protection authority and telecommunications regulator to probe the flooding of unsolicited political short messages services by ZANU PF.58 According to MISA, registered voters have started receiving messages on their mobile phones enticing individuals to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's WhatsApp group for specific constituency ahead of the 2023 general elections. No responses were received of MISA's complaints. There are few consistent patterns with these unsolicited and campaign messages. First, all of them are coming from the ruling party, ZANU PF. Second, the messages are not random by any imagination, as they are directed at a registered voter in constituency, and not just a mobile phone subscriber, this in 2018 included in the nominated House of Assembly candidate, and in 2023 only included a prospective ZANU PF presidential candidate.59 The 2023 messages further asks the data subject to subscribe for updates "on all national development issues and matters." While the sharing of national development issues or constituency issues is notable, this cannot be without an option to opt out from receiving the messages. In 2018, ZEC, network operators and POTRAZ distanced themselves from the messages, or and in 2023, POTRAZ ignored messages on how and why ZANU PF and President Mnangagwa acquired personal data. The denials and indifference from these 2018 and 2023 examples confirms that databases containing personal data in the custody of public and private bodies such as mobile network operators are easily accessed, and with impunity. This conclusion is damaging on Zimbabwe's DPA showing its political indifference to ZANU PF and government excesses, susceptibility to political manipulation, pursuit and safeguarding of elite interests, thereby general inability to provide adequate data protection and https://www.biometricupdate.com/ /unsolicited text messages to zimbabwe voters raise data privacy concerns accessed April The ZANU PF presidential candidate for had been confirmed in other different provincial meetings, and also when women, and youth assemblies met. Primary elections for house of assembly candidates were held in March April . PAGE