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Midlands State University Faculty of Law A MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF LAW A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE BACHELOR OF LAWS HONOURS DEGREE RESEARCH TOPIC: A CRITIQUE OF THE ZIMBABWE INTERNET GOVERNANCE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN LIGHT OF THE 2019 INTERNET SHUTDOWNS SUBMITTED BY SANDRA FUNGAI KABAYA STUDENT NUMBER: R151285N SUPERVISOR: Ms F. Chakauya November 2019 APPROVAL FORM Midlands State University The undersigned certify that they have read, signed and recommended to the Midlands State University for acceptance, a research project entitled: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ZIMBABWE INTERNET GOVERNANCE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN LIGHT OF THE 2019 INTERNET SHUTDOWNS.The project was submitted by SANDRA FUNGAI KABAYA, Student Registration Number R151285N, in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) Degree in the Faculty of Law at Midlands State University. Supervisor Signature ………………………………………Date ………/………/………… Coordinator Signature ………………………………………Date ………/………/………… External Examiner Signature ………………………………………Date ………/………/………… i DECLARATION I, SANDRA FUNGAI KABAYA (R151285N) do hereby declare that this dissertation entitled ‘A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ZIMBABWE INTERNET GOVERNANCE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN LIGHT OF THE 2019 INTERNET SHUTDOWNS’, is my own work and a result of my own investigation and research, save to the extent indicated in the references included in the body of the research, and that to the best of my knowledge, it has not been submitted either wholly or in part thereof for any other degree or examination at any other University. …………………………………… ………/……………/………………. Student’s Signature Date ii DEDICATION To my late brother, Nobert Kudzai Kabaya. Ordinary citizens who have been or will be affected by internet shutdowns or archaic internet governance laws, this dissertation is for you also. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My inmost appreciation goes to Lord Almighty, my family and to Ms F Chakauya, my supervisor. Well, I am because you are! iv ACRONYMS AU African Union CCK Communication Commission of Kenya GATS General Agreement on Trade in Services GC General Comment HH High Court Harare IGF Internet Governance Forum KHRC Kenya Human Rights Commission OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development OSCE Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe ICA Interception of Communications Act ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICT Information and Communication Technology ISPs Internet Service Providers ITU International Telecommunications Union KICA Kenya Information and Communications Act MC Media Centre MISA Media Institute of Southern Africa OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development v POTRAZ Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe PTA Postal and Telecommunications Act UN United Nations UNHRC United Nations Human Rights Commission SA South Africa SADC Southern African Development Community WTO World Trade Organisation ZDI Zimbabwe Democratic Institute ZLR Zimbabwe Law Reports USA United States of America vi TABLE OF CONTENTS APPROVAL FORM .......................................................................................................... i DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ii DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...............................................................................................iv ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................... v CHAPTER ONE .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Background of Study ............................................................................................. 1 1.3. Problem Statement ............................................................................................... 2 1.4. Research Objective ............................................................................................... 2 1.5. Research Methods ................................................................................................ 3 1.6. Delimitations ......................................................................................................... 3 1.7. Significance of Study ............................................................................................ 3 1.8. Chapter Synopsis .................................................................................................. 4 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 5 2.2 Relevance of Internet Governance Laws ............................................................... 5 2.3 International Internet Governance Laws ................................................................ 6 2.3.1. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ......................... 6 2.3.2. Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU Constitution)6 2.3.3. General Agreement on Trade in Services Annex on Telecommunications (GATS Annex on Telecommunications) .................................................................... 7 2.3.4. OECD Principles for Internet Policy Making (OECD Principles for Internet) ... 8 2.4 Regional Internet Governance Laws ...................................................................... 9 2.4.1Declaration on Internet Governance and Development of Africa’s Digital Economy (Declaration on Internet Governance) ....................................................... 9 2.4.3. Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and the Internet. ..................... 10 2.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................ 11 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 11 vii 3.2 Historical Overview of Internet Governance and Freedom of Expression in Zimbabwe .................................................................................................................. 11 3.3 Constitutional Scope of Internet Governance and Freedom of Expression .......... 11 3.4 Legislation ............................................................................................................ 13 3.4.1. Interception of Communications Act (ICA) .................................................... 13 3.4.2 Postal and Telecommunications Act (PTA) ................................................... 14 3.4.3 Cybercrime and Cyber Security Bill ............................................................... 15 3.5 Implications of Inadequate Internet Governance Laws ........................................ 16 3.6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER FOUR .......................................................................................................... 20 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 20 4.2. Overview of Freedom of Expression and Internet Governance in Kenya ............ 20 4.3 Constitutional Freedom of Expression and Internet Governance in Kenya .......... 21 4.4. Legislation ........................................................................................................... 22 4.4.1. Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA) .................................... 22 4.4.2. Kenya Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act ............................................ 23 4.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................ 25 5.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 25 5.2. Chapter Overview ............................................................................................... 25 5.3 Findings ............................................................................................................... 25 5.4 Recommendations ............................................................................................... 26 5.4.1 Specific Legislation ........................................................................................ 26 5.4.2 Internet Governance Policy............................................................................ 26 5.4.3 Internet Governance Authority ....................................................................... 26 5.4.4. Relevant internet governance stakeholders .................................................. 26 5.4.5. Internet shutdowns ....................................................................................... 27 5.4.6. ISPs .............................................................................................................. 27 5.4.7.
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