WhatsApp group administrators in Zimbabwe will receive licenses or risk fines

In a new and controversial move, the Zimbabwean government has announced that administrators of WhatsApp groups operating within the country’s borders must now register and obtain a license from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).

The licensing requirement, revealed at a recent breakfast meeting of POTRAZ, requires WhatsApp group administrators to pay a minimum fee of $50; depending on the type of group managed, costs can potentially reach up to $2,500. The move is justified by authorities as a measure to tighten citizens’ data security and privacy.

Minister of Information Communication Technologies, Postal and Courier Services Tatenda Mavetera confirmed the new policy, stating that administrators of all WhatsApp groups will soon have to register with POTRAZ and obtain a license to operate legally. In addition to being licensed, administrators will also need to appoint a certified Data Protection Officer (DPO), who must be trained and accredited by POTRAZ.

The new rules are designed to ensure compliance with the Zimbabwe Data Protection Act, which regulates how personal information is processed. By law, any data that can be used to identify a person, including phone numbers stored in WhatsApp groups, is subject to regulation. Because administrators have access to such data, the government argues that WhatsApp groups should be treated like any other organization that uses personal information.

Mavetera emphasized that the policy will affect not only businesses but also community organizations, churches and other groups that collect and manage personal data. “Even churches that collect personal data must have such a license and appoint a DPO,” he said during the announcement.

Although the new regulations aim to strengthen data protection, this move has been the target of harsh criticism. Many see this as a violation of Zimbabweans’ freedom of expression and association, especially given the increasing use of social media to discuss political issues. The country has seen an increase in WhatsApp groups used to organize political discussions and activism, especially at a time when tensions between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga are rising.

Critics argue the policy could be used as a tool to suppress political dissent at a time when concerns are growing about government surveillance and crackdowns on opposition voices. Zimbabwe’s political opposition and civil society groups have expressed fears that the new regulation is part of a broader effort to restrict digital spaces and limit freedom of expression.

Violation of the new regulations could result in penalties, including fines or imprisonment, although specific details of enforcement have not yet been clarified.

The move places Zimbabwe among a growing number of countries that have introduced or are considering stricter measures to regulate digital spaces, often citing national security or data protection concerns. But these measures have been criticized as attempts to restrict freedom of expression, especially in countries where dissidents are increasingly pushed out of the public sphere.

The government’s pressure on WhatsApp group administrators to register and comply with strict data protection rules has sparked a national debate about the balance between privacy, regulation and freedom of expression in the digital age.