consultations that were held were often poorly attended and some attendees had the least
understanding of the provisions of the bill.

Critical CSOs like Veritas, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), MISA and
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) had their submissions taken in but rarely made it in the
final piece, which was ascended into law by the then President and low late Robert Mugabe.

Overview of the 2007 Interception of Communication Act

There needs to be faster progress in enacting an interception of communications framework
in Zimbabwe relative to other countries. By 2007, when Zimbabwe passed ICA, most
countries in the world, especially the WEIRD countries (Western Educated Industrialised,
Rich and Democratic), had already passed a plethora of communication interception
regulations as a response to the September 11 attacks.

These legislations were, therefore, part of a multi-pronged fightback against terrorism. Against
this background, the ICA was also promulgated, even though Zimbabwe joined later than
most countries in terms of regulating the interception of (electronic) communication.

The adoption of the ICA in Zimbabwe was an opportunity for the country to join other
League of Nations in acknowledging terrorism as a global challenge and in setting clear
parameters on issues of national security and preserving the constitutionally guaranteed rights.

What was and is still controversial is the extent to which governments were willing to limit
these rights. In the context of Zimbabwe, the Act must be understood in the context of
various political developments that have impacted and implications for national security in
Zimbabwe since the turn of the millennium.

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