The new law provides for the establishment of a centre to monitor and intercept communications and also gives unfettered powers to the chiefs of police, national security, defense, intelligence and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority to order the interception of communications.

Speaking from Zimbabwe, the Director for the Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe, Mr Rashweat Mukundi bemoaned the development saying the new law will close the last space of media freedom left in Zimbabwe.

"The law is being passed in a polarized environment and hence the law will be used to target online reporters who have already been forced out of employment as a result of the enactment of Access to information and protection of privacy Act (AIPPA).The law is meant to instill fear in online reporters and self censorship and hence reducing the quality of online reporting."

However the Post and telecommunications regulatory authority of Zimbabwe (potraz) dismissed such speculation saying the law has been "enacted in good faith and in defense of national security"

The statement was also supported by the Minister of Transport and communications who hailed the new law for fighting technology-based crime. Meanwhile Internet service providers have expressed concern over the new law saying they will find it difficult to buy the snooping equipment since it is estimated to cost around US$1 million. Some of them are already contemplating to close business since it is now an offence to fail to install the snooping device.

The government of Zimbabwe has in the past years closed independent newspapers suspected to be anti-government. This has led to many journalists writing online in order to give people access to information.

The enactment of the new law will reduce the number of journalists writing online due to fears of being prosecuted and that will result in many Zimbabweans around the world missing out on vital information.