dyton mupawaenda
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
Protection of the the data privacy of the people is a priority for Government, Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Dr Tatenda Mavetera said yesterday.
Speaking at the inaugural data privacy symposium in Harare, Minister Mavetera said her Ministry valued the privacy of every Zimbabwean’s personal information.
The symposium that ran under the theme: “Take control of your data.”
She said data privacy was a fundamental human right under the Constitution of Zimbabwe and her Ministry had put in place a regulatory framework to safeguard the use and sharing of personal information.
“This framework is outlined under the Cyber and Data Protection Act, which provides for the protection of personal information and the designation of a regulatory authority, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to oversee the protection of personal issues in Zimbabwe.
“Protecting data privacy is not just the responsibility of the Government of Zimbabwe. It is a shared responsibility that has to take a multi-sectoral approach if it is to succeed. The use of personal data comes with a responsibility to ensure that it is used ethically and that the privacy of individuals is respected.
“All stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, and individuals, have a role to play in creating a culture of data privacy in Zimbabwe,”. she said.
A suitable culture of protection, by its very nature, was invariably grown from daily habits and people must therefore work together to raise awareness about data privacy.
She called upon data controllers that were yet to comply with the Act and directives issued by Potraz to do so so they had a functional data protection ecosystem.
“As we celebrate this first edition of Data Privacy Week under the theme ‘Take Control of Your Data’, I urge all stakeholders to prioritise data privacy in their operations and activities,” Minister Mavetera said.
“As the economy continues to digitalise towards Vision 2030, it is important to recognise that the protection of personal information is not just a matter of compliance but also a matter of dignity, Constitutional imperative, trust, and cooperation. Trust is a critical component in any thriving digital ecosystem and is essential for the growth of the digital economy.
“I encourage organisations to adopt best practices for data protection and to invest in the necessary infrastructure and human capital to ensure that personal information is secured. As your Ministry, we have taken note of all the efforts to implement this additional mandate including, the setting up of the Data Protection Unit.
Potraz director-general Dr Gift Machengete said in May last year the authority established a Data Protection Unit with 23 members to make sure that people’s data was protected.
A register of data controllers was created and data protection officers appointed.
“The need to protect data is our collective responsibility to advance everyone’s rights. We have also made sure that there is compliance and awareness undertaken by the Data Protection Unit.”
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