SPREADING fake news on social media and mainstream media
about coronavirus (Covid-19) has been categorised as a Level 14 offence, the
highest in the country and people liable will be jailed for 20 years, officials
have confirmed.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in China last
December and later on in most countries across the world, fake news especially
on social media have become the order of the day. In Zimbabwe most of the fake
news is spread through WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook social media platforms.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi
Ziyambi told Sunday News yesterday that the measure to categorise spreading of
fake news about the pandemic as a Level 14 offence was part of Government’s
efforts to ensure that the country effectively contains the spread of Covid-19.
“This is part of a Statutory Instrument (SI) under the
Public Health Act, which now criminalises the peddling of falsehoods relating
to this pandemic. The reason we had to come up with that SI was after we noted
the proliferation of fake news, which were hindering the fight against the
spread of the pandemic. We are using the Public Health Act which according to
Section 68, empowers the Minister of Health and Child Care to make such
regulations in times of emergencies, to help contain such viruses,” said
Minister Ziyambi.
He said it was vital for people to realise the effect of
spreading falsehoods on the functions of society as it had the danger of
causing unnecessary panic and even affect Government efforts to contain
emergencies.
“No society can function when lies are peddled willy-nilly,
these could have a far reaching ripple effect that could even affect the nation
more than the effects of the pandemic alone, hence the reason Government has
decided to criminalise this practice especially on various social media
platforms,” said Minister Ziyambi.
Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo who is
a member of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 reiterated this when he
said journalists also risk being jailed for writing falsehoods around the
pandemic. Minister Moyo heads the sub-committee on resource mobilisation and
co-ordination.
“The media are an integral part of this fight against this
pandemic, of which they must give the people daily updates on what is happening
on the ground. However, they must be responsible, falsehoods will exacerbate
panic of which we are already scared of this pandemic and trying to understand
it. In terms of jail term, one can spend up to 20 years behind bars, in terms
of fines, it is the highest possible fine which we haven’t even as yet set a
figure,” he said.
The minister said they were also monitoring people who forwarded
false messages they received on their mobile phones as they were equally liable
even if they had not originated the messages. According to Statutory Instrument
83 of the 2020 Public Health, Covid-19 Prevention, Containment, Treatment and
Lockdown Order; “For the avoidance of doubt any person who publishes or
communicates false news about any public officer involved with enforcing or
implementing the national lockdown in his or her capacity as such, or about any
private individual that has the effect of prejudicing the State’s enforcement
of the national lockdown, shall be liable for prosecution under Section 31 of
the Criminal Law Code and liable to the penalty there provided, that is to say
a fine up to or exceeding level 14 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding
20 years or both”.
A number of countries in the region have also promulgated
laws to curb the spread of falsehoods on social media, with authorities
concurring with the Zimbabwean Government that such acts hampered efforts being
made to contain the pandemic.
In South Africa the government gazetted a new law under
their Disaster Management Act where citizens could receive a fine or a
six-month prison term for spreading fake news about the coronavirus. The Act
classifies fake news as “publishing any statement through any medium, including
social media, with the intention to deceive any other person about measures by
the government to address Covid-19.” Last week, a man from Cape Town, South
Africa was dragged to court for allegedly publishing falsehoods about Covid-19
testing.
Meanwhile, the Association of Apostolic Churches in
Zimbabwe (AACZ) has called on members of the public to refrain from relying on
unofficial social media platforms for information related to the coronavirus.
AACZ president Archbishop Tsungai Vushe said people should rely on the
mainstream media for relevant information and avoid being misled by some media
platforms, which have become havens of peddling falsehoods.
“People should ignore rumours and fake news being disseminated
on various media platforms about the coronavirus but rather they should stay
informed through news or information from mainstream media such as newspapers,
radio and television. We should also support our Government’s various
initiatives and programmes in its bid to curb the spread of this deadly disease
while we also co-operate with the Ministry of Health and Child Care,” he said.
Archbishop Vushe also applauded the Government for the
21-day national lockdown to contain the spread of the Covid-19.
“On behalf of my association, AACZ, we are very happy with
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to declare a 21-day national lockdown.
As Christians we are praying indoors and we are always geared to pray for our
national and the well-being of the people.
Furthermore, I’m urging all Zimbabweans not to panic as God
is in control. Coronavirus is real and it’s there so let’s take this pandemic
seriously. As Christians, we must be exemplary and good listeners remembering
that God helps those who also help themselves,” he said.
AACZ is a grouping of Apostolic and Zion sects with a
membership of over 400 denominations. Sunday News
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