Internet was restored in the Zimbabwe on Wednesday after the government cut services for 48 hours on the eve of protests against fuel prices hikes. Zimbabwe joined a short list of nations who have resorted to shutting down the internet in order to interrupt communications of citizens in an attempt to choke dissent or to stop news of the government crackdown from spreading.
Internet has been restored but social media websites have been blocked which are mainly WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
The country’s largest telecoms company Econet Wireless
Zimbabwe, confirmed Wednesday that the government ordered suspension of the
internet across all networks after violent protests against the embattled
administration.
“Further to a warrant issued by the Minister of State in the President’s Office for National Security through the Director General of the President’s Dept (sic) acting in terms of the Interception of Communications Act, Internet Services are currently suspended across all networks and Internet Service providers. We are obliged to act when directed to do so and the matter is beyond our control. All inconveniences are sincerely regretted.” Econet said in a statement.
The government claimed that it was innocent and had played
no role in the disruption of internet.
Other countries which have disrupted the Internet include, Cameroon and
more recently the Democratic Republic of Congo.
