Minister Mavetera Launches Digital Spying Programme With Russia’s Help

Minister Mavetera Launches Digital Spying Programme With Russia’s Help7 August 2025

Minister Mavetera Launches Digital Spying Programme With Russia’s Help

By A Correspondent

HARARE – The Zimbabwean government has come under fire after launching a controversial cybersecurity programme that critics say is designed to spy on citizens, suppress dissent, and militarise the internet — with heavy involvement from Russian entities The programme, officially known as the National Cybersecurity Training Programme, was unveiled in Harare by ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera, who claimed it would train over 10,000 youths in areas such as ethical hacking, cyberattack simulations, and digital monitoring But while authorities say the initiative is aimed at bolstering Zimbabwe’s digital infrastructure, rights groups, opposition figures, and tech experts see a more sinister motive — the creation of a state-sponsored cyber surveillance force “We are happy to say we have come up with a cybersecurity strategy that outlines how we will deploy cybersecurity across the country,” said Minister Mavetera at the launch

“This is underpinned by infrastructure, digital skills, and ensuring safety in cyberspace and data protection.”

However, the programme’s details — including the establishment of a national cybersecurity monitoring centre — have sparked alarm, particularly given the government’s increasingly hostile stance towards online criticism and independent digital platforms “This isn’t about security It’s about surveillance,” said a Harare-based digital rights advocate “They’re training young people to become cyber spooks — to monitor what we say, what we post, and how we communicate.”

Adding to the alarm is the government’s partnership with Russian cybersecurity firms, including CYBERUS, KOMIB, and InnoStage — all of which have ties to the Kremlin’s broader strategy of exporting cyber control tools to allied regimes

Mavetera openly praised the 2023 Bilateral Cybersecurity Agreement signed between Zimbabwe and Russia, saying:

“This partnership proposes three key domains: building national cyber security capacity; establishing a cyber-resilience verification framework; and creating a national cyber security monitoring centre.”

Analysts say the partnership effectively gives Russia a foothold in Zimbabwe’s digital ecosystem, raising serious concerns over data privacy, sovereignty, and the militarisation of cyberspace “This is a dangerous entanglement,” said one analyst “Russia is known for its authoritarian use of cyber tools Now Zimbabwe is importing that model.”

Russian officials present at the launch, including Sergey Kuzin from the Russian Embassy and Dmitry Grigoriev from KOMIB, framed the project as a way to foster global cooperation

But their comments only deepened suspicions.

Source: ZimEye