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Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. Tatenda Mavetera says the Government will roll out a mandatory national cyber hygiene campaign targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) leading efforts to strengthen businesses against rising cyber threats.
Mavetera said SMEs account for about 80 percent of Zimbabwe’s economy but remain the most vulnerable to cybercrime, making it imperative for Government to equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to safeguard their operations and digital transactions.
Speaking during the ongoing CyberDrill event, Mavetera said POTRAZ would spearhead the nationwide campaign, requiring businesses transacting on government digital platforms to adopt basic cybersecurity measures.
“POTRAZ will conduct a national campaign to mandate basic cyber hygiene, multi factor authentication, regular patching and offline backups for all businesses transacting on government digital platforms,” she said.
She said the campaign would also introduce a “Verify Before You Act” protocol to help business owners identify and prevent sophisticated scams involving artificial intelligence and deepfake technology before releasing funds or sensitive information.
“Crucially, this campaign will include a ‘Verify Before You Act’ protocol, training every SME owner to authenticate any unusual voice or video instruction before releasing funds or sensitive data,” Mavetera said.
As part of the broader cybersecurity strategy, Mavetera said Government would establish a robust National Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) to improve the country’s preparedness against cyberattacks and enhance coordination among key stakeholders.
She said Zimbabwe was moving from fragmented responses to a coordinated national cyber defence system that brings together government, banks, telecommunications companies, utility firms and the private sector to share real time threat intelligence.
“We will move from siloed responses to a unified defence. Within the next twelve months, we will operationalise a National Cybersecurity Incident Response Team. This will be a collaborative hub where government, private sector, banks, telcos and utility companies share real time threat intelligence, including indicators of deepfake campaigns targeting our institutions. The trust building starts here, today, in this room,” she said.
The minister said the proposed response team would enhance collaboration among stakeholders, enabling faster detection and response to cyberattacks targeting both public and private institutions.
The initiatives form part of the Government’s broader strategy to strengthen Zimbabwe’s cybersecurity framework as digital services continue to expand, while improving cyber resilience among businesses and safeguarding the country’s digital economy.
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