ZANU PF Bans Whatsapp

Members of Zanu PF Mashonaland West province have been ordered to delete all WhatsApp groups linked to the ruling party with immediate effect.

According to a notice issued by Zanu PF Mash West province’s Information Department secretary, Godwin Nigel Murambiwa, all WhatsApp groups created for members to discuss party-related business must be closed forthwith.

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Reads the notice:

The Department of Information would like to advise all members, cadres, Cdes, and all affiliates organisations that an instruction has been issued by the security department to dissolve or delete all WhatsApp groups that talk or have links with the party ZANU PF with immediate effect.
However, constituents are allowed to formulate, manage and organise one group incorporating every party member.
All secretaries for information from all organs are therefore empowered to monitor the activities of the groups in constituencies.

Murambiwa warned members who would ignore the instruction that they will be dealt with in accordance with the party constitution.

Last month Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa accused CCC supporters of cyber-bullying after they allegedly hijacked the ruling party’s WhatsApp groups to campaign for their leader Nelson Chamisa. NewsDay quoted Mutsvangwa as saying:

We are being trolled. They are infiltrating our software. The WhatsApp groups were created by some ZANU PF members who wanted to interact with the people on behalf of the President.

We have the support of people. Cyber war games against ZANU PF won’t work.

It will not affect the outcome of the poll. There are hardly a million on social media.

The majority of Zimbabweans don’t have smartphones, especially in rural areas so social media won’t be effective to remove Zanu PF.