Internet freedom in Zimbabwe improved slightly during the coverage period. While the penetration rate for mobile service increased, internet access continued to be hampered by infrastructure constraints, frequent electricity shortages, and high prices. Authorities persisted in their crackdown on expressions of political dissent online, and both journalists and ordinary users faced arrests, threats, and harassment for their online activity, particularly when they criticized the government.

• Although internet access remained prohibitively expensive for many Zimbabweans, US-based Starlink’s satellite internet service, which became available in Zimbabwe in September 2024, offered more affordable pricing options than other internet service providers (ISPs).1 Starlink terminals sold out shortly after becoming available,2 and the company’s entry into the market forced other ISPs to reduce their prices in order to compete (A2 and A4).3
• Amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act that were promulgated in May 2025 expanded the scope of the law to include digital media platforms and internet-based broadcasting services such as podcasts.4 The amendments also strengthened the president’s control over the Broadcasting Authority Board by removing a provision that had allowed for parliamentary consultation on the president’s board appointments (B6).
• Several activists and journalists were arrested and detained for their online content as part of an ongoing crackdown on media freedom in Zimbabwe. In February 2025, Blessed Mhlanga, a journalist for the YouTube-based outlet Heart and Soul TV, was arrested and charged with inciting violence; the case centered on an interview in which a war veteran and former member of the ruling party called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation.5 After being held for nearly three months, Mhlanga was granted provisional release, though he was still awaiting trial at the end of the coverage period. He faced up to three years in prison if convicted (C3).

The Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has dominated Zimbabwean politics since independence in 1980 by carrying out severe crackdowns on the political opposition, critical media, and all sources of dissent. President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in 2017 after the military intervened to remove longtime President Robert Mugabe amid factional divisions within the ruling party. Mnangagwa has largely retained the legal, administrative, and security architecture of the Mugabe era, and has consolidated his authority through acts of repression and a number of constitutional amendments. Endemic corruption, a vast patronage system, weak rule of law, and poor protections for workers and land rights remain critical challenges.

This report has been abridged for Freedom on the Net 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.