The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) strongly condemns the false and misleading allegations published and circulated by The Zimbabwe Mail on 31 March 2025, in an article titled; _Chivhayo’s IMC Communications Mobile Licence Sparks Corruption Allegations_. The article is not only factually incorrect, but also deliberately misleading, designed to tarnish the reputation of POTRAZ and its leadership.
Contrary to allegations that POTRAZ did not follow due process in issuing a licence to IMC Communications, due process was actually followed. IMC Communications applied for an Internet Service Provider (ISP) National Licence on 27 May 2024 and after undergoing the full licensing process—including evaluation by an eight (8) member Licensing Committee and approval by the seven-member POTRAZ Board of Directors, the licence was granted on 14 October 2024. This five-month process followed due process and regulatory compliance, and the licence was neither expedited nor irregularly issued in any way.
Furthermore, the article falsely alleges that POTRAZ issued a “data license” to IMC Communications, yet POTRAZ does not issue data licenses. As a matter of fact, IMC Communications was granted an ISP National Licence, which costs USD 50,000 for a 10-year period. This is the smallest public telecommunication license and is available to all qualifying applicants who meet the minimum regulatory requirements.
The claim that a USD 10 million bribe was paid for a USD 50,000 license, is both illogical and defamatory. The licensing process at POTRAZ is governed by strict regulations and all decisions are made collectively by committees—not by any individual.
The article also falsely states that The Zimbabwe Mail attempted to obtain a comment from the Director General, which is also false, as at no point and time, was the Director General contacted either via email, telephone, WhatsApp or SMS, despite the fact that his office is easily reachable through official communication channels. This further proves that the article was published with malicious intent and without any effort to verify facts.
POTRAZ remains committed to fairness, accountability and integrity in regulating Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector. The Authority urges the media to practice ethical journalism based on verified facts, rather than spreading sensationalized misinformation without input or comment from the regulator.
