Zimbabwe unveils phone, e-mail snooping Bill

Zimbabwe unveils phone, e-mail snooping Bill

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By Cris Chinaka

ZIMBABWE'S government on Saturday unveiled a proposed law that would give it the authority to monitor phones and mail -- both conventional and Internet -- to protect national security and fight crime.

Rights groups say the bill is part of a government crackdown, which has included tough policing and political intimidation, to stifle criticism over a severe economic crisis many blame on President Robert Mugabe's policies.

In a weekend government gazette, Transport and Communications Minister Christopher Mushowe published a general framework of the "Interception of Communication Bill."

If passed by parliament it would give him authority to monitor the phones and mail of anyone suspected of threatening national security or involvement in criminal activities.

The bill says the government will set up a "communication centre to monitor and intercept certain communications in the course of their transmission through a telecommunication, postal or any other related service system."

Mugabe's government announced its intention to draw up the legislation earlier this year, saying it is similar to laws in other countries to fight international crime and terrorism.

But its critics say although there is a right in the bill to challenge a "monitoring warrant" in court, the government's plans are driven by political vindictiveness.

"There is no doubt that the spirit behind this is political, and that in practice the proposed law will be used to pursue and to harass government critics and the opposition," said Lovemore Madhuku, a lawyer and chairman of political pressure group the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).

There was no immediate comment on Saturday from the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), but when the law was first muted months ago, the party denounced it as part of Mugabe's drive to silence his foes.

The bill is expected to be approved by parliament in the next three months.

Mugabe, 82, and in power since Zimbabwe's independence from Britain in 1980, has a two-thirds majority in both parliament's lower House of Assembly and upper chamber Senate.

The veteran Zimbabwean leader denies allegations of repression and mismanagement, and in turn accuses domestic and Western opponents of demonising him and sabotaging the economy over his seizures of white-owned farms for landless blacks - Reuters
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