ZEC accused of leaking mobile phone numbers to Zanu PF
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is being criticised for allegedly sharing voters’ mobile phone numbers with the ruling ZANU PF party. This is not the first time this has happened, as ZEC was accused of the same thing before the 2018 elections.
Electoral watchdogs are questioning how ZANU PF obtained these numbers and are concerned about unsolicited campaign messages being sent to voters, which even specify their constituency. Zimbabwe is set to hold elections in July or August.
One of the messages seen by this reporter read:
Kwaziwai. lyi ndiyo WhatsApp nhamba yangu yeHatfield 0719115647, ichengetedzei mufoni menyu nekuzivisa vamwe vagari vemuHatfield Ndichange ndichikuzivisai paWhatsApp STATUS yangu, zvirikuitwa nehurumende kuvaka nyika yedu nemuno muHatfield . Ndatenda, ndini wenyu President ED Mnangagwa. [Greetings. This is my WhatsApp number for Hatfield. Keep it on your mobile phone and inform other Hatfield residents. I will be keeping you updated through my WhatsApp status, on what the government is doing to build our nation and Hatfield. Thank you, Yours, President ED Mnagagwa.]
Team Pachedu, a group of data analysts, criticised ZEC for sharing voters’ phone numbers with ZANU PF. In a Twitter post seen by Pindula News, Team Pachedu demanded that ZEC and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) explain how the ruling party attained the electorate’s phone numbers:
ZEC has illegally leaked the new voters roll with phone numbers to ZANU-PF. Voters are now receiving unsolicited ZANU-PF messages including those in new constituencies. The Data Protection Act and multiple laws have been violated. We demand an explanation! @ZECzim @Potraz_zw. Zec must be sued for violating the Data Protection Act by sharing phone records with Zanu PF. Econet and NetOne must also be sued for illegally facilitating unsolicited bulk SMSs for Zanu PF. Zec and Zanu PF must not be allowed to break our laws wantonly.
Takunda Tsunga, a legal and advocacy officer at the Election Resource Centre, has stated that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) needs to explain how ZANU PF obtained its voters’ numbers. Tsunga is concerned about unsolicited text messages from political parties and questions about where they obtained the voters’ information. He believes that if the electoral commission was involved in leaking the electorate’s information, it would compromise free and fair elections by giving one party an unfair advantage. Therefore, ZEC needs to provide clarity on this matter.
Andrew Makoni, the chairperson of Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network, questioned the compliance with the Data Protection Act regarding the source of phone numbers used to send voters messages. He called for clarity on the database used to access the phone numbers and raised concerns about unsolicited consent. Makoni noted that there is no opt-out option for recipients of the messages, and it is up to individuals to handle the situation if they do not wish to receive them.
ZEC deputy chairperson Rodney Simukai Kiwa told NewsDay that the commission had not availed a voters roll with the electorate’s phone numbers to ZANU PF.
