High Court Sets aside Internet Shutdown Directives

High Court Sets aside Internet Shutdown Directives

Zimbabwe News Update |

High Court judge Justice Owen Tagu on 21 January 2019 ruled that the Minister of State in the President’s Office Responsible for National Security does not have the authority to issue any directives in terms of the Interception of Communications Act.

This means that the directives issued by Minister Owen Ncube to shut down the Internet in Zimbabwe are illegal and therefore, without effect.

The Interception of Communications Act is one of 12 Acts directly administered by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. The President does have the right to assign any other Cabinet members to act on his behalf to administer any of these 12 Acts.

This is in terms of Statutory Instrument 212 of 2018 as read with section 104(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

 

This article was first published on January 21, 2019 on Media Institute of Southern Africa website.

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