. . . as 1,070 Privacy Officers Certified
By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
BULAWAYO – Zimbabwe has been nominated by its SADC partners to serve as a “torchbearer for data protection capacity building” across the region, Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Dr. Tatenda Mavetera announced today at the Third National Data Privacy Symposium.
The announcement marks a significant elevation of Zimbabwe’s status in Africa’s digital governance landscape, positioning the country as a hub for expertise in an era where data privacy has become a cornerstone of economic trust.
“Recognising that regional coordination is essential, I am proud to announce that our SADC partners have nominated Zimbabwe to be a torchbearer for data protection capacity building,” Minister Mavetera told delegates gathered at the Holiday Inn in Bulawayo.
The Minister’s announcement was underscored by a striking statistic: since the inception of POTRAZ’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) training programme, a total of 1,070 individuals have been certified.
The latest cohort, certified just yesterday, numbered 215 and included a distinguished participant from Zambia—a clear sign of growing regional recognition of Zimbabwe’s programme.
“This is not merely a statistic,” Minister Mavetera emphasised. “It is a clear demonstration that Zimbabwe is steadily building the human capital required to sustain a trusted digital economy.”
She described these certified professionals as “the frontline custodians of privacy compliance, institutional accountability, and responsible data governance across both the public and private sectors.”
POTRAZ Director General Dr. Gift K. Machengete reinforced the regional dimension of the Symposium, noting that delegates from Nigeria, South Africa, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe were in attendance.
“This room represents a diversity of expertise,” he said, “bringing together policymakers, regulators, technologists, legal practitioners, academics, and innovators. This diversity is not incidental; it is necessary.”
The recognition of Zimbabwe’s leadership comes as the country implements the Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07], which establishes data protection as a constitutional right under Section 57.
Since the establishment of the Data Protection Authority within POTRAZ, Zimbabwe has rolled out licensing frameworks, awareness initiatives, sector guidance, enforcement mechanisms, and the DPO certification programme that has now become a regional model.
Minister Mavetera framed the capacity-building effort as directly aligned with the Government’s national mantra.
“Indeed, the approach by POTRAZ reflects our President, His Excellency Cde Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa and our Government’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.”
She called on institutions across the public and private sectors to view privacy expertise as a strategic investment rather than merely a regulatory requirement.
“The growing numbers of certified professionals strengthen our national capacity to ensure that privacy is not treated as an afterthought, but as a default standard embedded in every organisation, every system, and every digital interaction.”
Looking beyond Zimbabwe’s borders, the Minister highlighted the country’s collaboration with regional partners through SADC, the African Network of Data Protection Authorities (NADPA), and peer Data Protection Authorities.
“Harmonisation and cooperation are key to digital trade and integration,” she said.
The Symposium, now in its third year, has evolved from a national event into a continental gathering, reflecting what Minister Mavetera called “a growing data protection ecosystem and a commitment to responsible digital transformation.”
As Zimbabwe assumes this torchbearer role, the immediate priority will be to assist regional partners in developing their own data protection frameworks while continuing to deepen the country’s pool of certified professionals.
“Data knows no borders,” Minister Mavetera concluded, “and neither should our solutions.”
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