WhatsApp group administrators in Zimbabwe will have to pay for licences costing up to $2,500 (£2,000) to run their groups legally, officials say.

The new rules require all group admins to register with the state telecommunications regulator POTRAZ and appoint certified data protection officers.

Any admin who fails to comply could face jail time, telecoms minister Tatenda Mavetera has warned.

Critics say the move is aimed at stifling free speech on social media.

The regulations will affect various WhatsApp groups, from business networks to church communities.

“Even churches who collect personal data ought to have such a licence,” Ms Mavetera told a meeting in the capital, Harare.

Under the new system, administrators must pay between $50 and $2,500 for a licence, register with the state regulator, and appoint certified data protection officers. Those who fail to comply risk criminal penalties.

The government says the measures will protect citizens’ personal data, as WhatsApp admins have access to members’ phone numbers.

But the announcement comes amid growing political tensions between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is widely used in Zimbabwe for political discussions.