By 
The government cannot combat cybersecurity threats alone and must allow the private sector to take the lead, Deputy Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Dingumuzi Phuti said at the Cyber Fraud Summit in Nyanga 2025. He stressed that without private sector engagement and judiciary capacitation, enforcement of cyber laws would remain weak, leaving businesses and individuals vulnerable to cybercrime.
Phuti pointed out that the judiciary lacks the necessary training to handle cyber-related cases, which has led to gaps in enforcement.
“If our judiciary does not understand how to criminalize and charge cybersecurity crimes, we will be living in a vacuum and still be in some kind of dismay without action,” he said. He urged for specialized training for prosecutors, judges, and magistrates to ensure they can interpret and enforce cybersecurity laws effectively.
By Ruvarashe Gora
Comparing the current cybersecurity challenges to past struggles with intellectual property law, Phuti noted that many law enforcement officers fail to act on cybercrimes because they do not understand them.
“A police officer will not arrest because they do not understand, a prosecutor and a judge will not do the next job because they don’t believe it’s a crime, and before you know it, a whole industry suffers,” he said.
To address these challenges, Phuti called for a multi-sectoral approach, where the government collaborates with businesses, tech experts, and the legal community to strengthen cybersecurity measures. He emphasized that without private sector leadership, Zimbabwe’s digital economy would remain at risk.
With cyber threats increasing globally, Phuti’s remarks underscore the urgency for Zimbabwe to modernize its cybersecurity framework by engaging the private sector and strengthening the legal system to tackle cybercrime effectively.
Comments