The government has refuted claims regarding licensing fees for WhatsApp administrators.

ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera made this clarification on Saturday, stating:

“I would like to distance myself from the malicious and false rumors that the government intends to license or penalize WhatsApp groups or administrators of any social media platforms with a USD 2,500 fee.”

Mavetera emphasized that this claim is not applicable to individuals or groups that do not collect or process Personally Identifiable Information (PII) for commercial or business purposes. PII refers to any data that can identify a person, such as their name, address, phone number, passport information, or ID number.

He urged the public to disregard this false information, as it is inconsistent with legal provisions outlined in Statutory Instrument (SI) 155 of the 2024 Cyber and Data Protection (Licensing of Data Controllers and Appointment of Data Protection Officers) Regulations.

Mavetera also clarified that in his LinkedIn post, he never suggested any intention to license or penalize WhatsApp groups or administrators who do not collect or process PII for business purposes.

He reassured the public of the government’s commitment, through the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, to enhance cyber and data security while promoting access to information in a safe and secure environment.

“This is in line with our constitutional mandate to ensure that everyone has access to information, and that no one and no place is left offline,” Mavetera concluded.

However, observers have noted that the government has been forced to make an embarrassing reversal of its earlier proposal in response to a public outcry.