I have just read an article about how Zimbabwe is planning to censor social media before their 2018 elections. We all know that Africa in general is very corrupt, but this is just ridiculous.
I have traveled to Zimbawe many times, both for pleasure and business and one thing I will never forget is how honest and welcoming the nation of Zimbabwe is. I have lived in a few countries around the world, and the people of Zimbabwe in my opinion is right up there with the best in the world. There main problem is their leader, Robert Mugabe. He destroyed a wonderful country over many decades and he just refuses to step down. I think he must be close to about 400 years old now ...
They saying goes that One countries terrorist is another countries freedom fighter, but in my mind you get plain stupidity in the middle somewhere.
The country became independent in 1980 and the countries name was changed from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. It just went downhill from there to the point where he literally made the Zimbabwean dollar useless. In 2000 land distribution kicked in where people which farmed the land were violently removed from their farms.
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The Zimbabwean government already owns both the Mobile operator and fixed line operators Netone and Telone which also manages the Internet gateway of the country. One might think that you can still post on platforms like Steemit which is not censored, but guess what … a new law is currently being made which makes it illegal to post content against the government.
The government’s keenness to control the telecoms industry has expanded into the regulatory sector, with a computer and cybercrimes law now being finalised, according to government officials.
A draft version of the law says "a person, who intentionally … initiates any electronic communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using a computer system … commits an offence" that is punishable.
On conviction, offenders will be imprisoned "for a period not exceeding five years" or a fine.
Critics say the law is targeted at social media activists who organise demonstrations through WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook among other platforms, and to contain social messages critical of the government.
You can read the full article here
