Cyber and Data Protection Act, 2021 (Act No. 5 of 2021)

Summary

Zimbabwe's main cybersecurity statute, which began as a cybersecurity and data protection bill. It regulates the processing of personal data and designates the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) as the data protection authority; data controllers must notify the authority of any security breach within 24 hours. It amends the Criminal Code to create computer offences (unauthorised access, unlawful interception, interference with data and systems, misuse of devices and access codes) and rules on electronic evidence. It also amends the Interception of Communications Act to set up, in the Office of the President, a Cyber Security and Monitoring of Interceptions of Communications Centre that implements government cybersecurity policy, coordinates cybersecurity and runs a round-the-clock national contact point.

Information

Jurisdiction

Zimbabwe

Issuing body

Parliament of Zimbabwe

Type

Law

Available languages

English

Topics

• Data protection
• Cybercrime and criminal law
• Governance and coordination
• Incident reporting

Notes

The link leads to the Government Printer's text published by POTRAZ, which still bears the title "Data Protection Act [Chapter 11:22]"; according to legal databases the Act was published in December 2021 and republished in March 2022 under the corrected title "Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07]", with no change to its content: dates and chapter number are still to be checked against the Gazette. Zimbabwe has not yet published a national cybersecurity strategy: a draft was presented in 2025 and is awaiting approval. Data protection licensing regulations were adopted in 2024 (SI 155 of 2024).

Parliament of Zimbabwe. (2021). Cyber and Data Protection Act, 2021 (Act No. 5 of 2021) (Act No. 5 of 2021). https://www.potraz.gov.zw/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Data-Protection-Act-5-of-2021.pdf

Parliament of Zimbabwe. "Cyber and Data Protection Act, 2021 (Act No. 5 of 2021)." December 2021. https://www.potraz.gov.zw/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Data-Protection-Act-5-of-2021.pdf.

@misc{zw_cyber_data_protection_act_2021,
  author       = {{Parliament of Zimbabwe}},
  title        = {{Cyber and Data Protection Act, 2021 (Act No. 5 of 2021)}},
  year         = {2021},
  note         = {Act No. 5 of 2021},
  url          = {https://www.potraz.gov.zw/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Data-Protection-Act-5-of-2021.pdf},
  urldate      = {2026-11-02}
}