‘Harness ICT to improve service delivery’
INFORMATION Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure that the Government is rolling out across the country should be harnessed to improve service delivery in critical areas of health, education and agriculture, President Mnangagwa has said.
Yesterday, President Mnangagwa launched three ICT policies — the reviewed National ICT Policy, the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan and the National Broadband Plan — at Somabhula Secondary School in Vungu area, just outside Gweru.
The President also commissioned the second phase of the fibre optic backbone network spearheaded by Bandwidth and Cloud Services (BCS) Group Limited in Africa.
Addressing players in the ICT industry, Somabhula villagers, investors and senior Government officials at Somabhula Secondary School, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe should harness the 4th Industrial Revolution to leapfrog its development towards upper-middle-class status by 2030.
During his first term, President Mnangagwa directed that policies should be developed to ensure the success of a digital economy, creating an investment climate for ICT sector players to succeed, an example being BCS.
The national broadband plan , ICT policy and Smart Zimbabwe were then developed.
“The fact that we are launching these important policies and the fibre optic backbone network here in Somabhula demonstrates that the Second Republic is walking the talk and committed to realising development that leaves no one and no place behind.
“The policies we are launching today are in line with our National Development Strategy, where we aim to make sure that all our communities have access to affordable, fast and safe digital technologies. This has become important as societies and economies are now very dependent on ICTs,” said the President.
Turning to the national ICT policy, President Mnangagwa said it outlines the guiding framework and development priorities for the ICT sub-sector, adding that it will help promote digital know-how, innovation, the use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, while also strengthening the country’s cyber-security measures.
“At the end of the day, my administration is creating a good environment for the growth of a digital economy which empowers our communities, no matter where they live. So this policy will make sure that learners and young entrepreneurs, whether here in Somabhula, in Kanyemba or in Gokwe or Binga, all have the same opportunities as those in our big cities like Harare and Bulawayo,” he said.
The President commissioned the national mobile broadband plan and secured funding from ChinaExim Bank He commissioned the National Data Centre Commissioned and the Zitco factory. The National Broadband Plan will run from 2020 to 2030 while the National ICT policy will run for five years with the Smart Zimbabwe Master Plan running for 10 years until 2030.
President Mnangagwa said the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan would see the country achieving more creative societies through the use of technology.
“Digital technologies must go beyond the use of ICT for social media and entertainment. We must use the infrastructure that my Government is putting in place to improve service
delivery in healthcare, education and agriculture, among many other aspects.”
More than US$18 million was invested in the first phase of the Fibre Optic Backbone Network Project which started in Beitbridge along the railway line past Rutenga, Somabhula, Bulawayo and Hwange to Victoria Falls.
The second phase has seen the network extending from Somabhula via Gweru to Harare as well as Bulawayo-Plumtree and Harare-Mutare.
In the final phase, the fibre optic system will be installed from Rutenga to Chikwalakwala to cover the whole rail network in the country before extending to Zambia and the region beyond.
This dovetails with the Second Republic’s philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind not only towards Vision 2030, but will also feed into Africa Agenda 2063 as the project will extend to the whole continent following the existing rail network.
The 1 500km fibre optic project will not only help with local connectivity and access to internet services but also provide the National Railways of Zimbabwe with an enabler for effective signals.
Zimbabwe has in excess of 20 000km of fibre optic network and President Mnangagwa had an opportunity to witness a demonstration of the laying of the fibre.
At the continental level, Zimbabwe was nominated to lead the Smart Agriculture Flagship Project under the Smart Africa Alliance and the country is using ICT and geo-spatial technologies (our satellite is in space) to predict weather patterns, as well as for land planning and crop assessments, among basic information management within the agriculture sector.
President Mnangagwa said the national Broadband Plan highlights the country’s determination to close the digital gap and guarantee universal access to reliable and high-speed internet connectivity.
“In addition, the policies we are launching today provide sufficient guidance to the ICT sector. All parties, including civil society organisations, businesses and the general public, are called upon to play by the rules. Ignorance is no defence,” said the President.
He buttressed the point that ICTs must never be deployed or used to promote self-hate and denigrate the country.
“No. My Government will not allow that. Tisarase hunhu hwedu sevanhu vatema, the descendants of the great Munhumutapa.
“We must use ICTs to protect and promote our identity, unity, love, harmony, peace, development as well as production and productivity,” said President Mnangagwa.
Guided by the philosophy, “Zimbabwe is open for business”, he said, Government continues to grant licences to more service providers to deliver backbone network facilities and services.
President Mnangagwa said the new companies entering this space are expected to increase Zimbabwe’s internet connectivity.
“Data prices must be affordable. I want to commend the Bandwidth and Cloud Services (BCS) for deciding to invest in Zimbabwe. This is an international company which is operating in a number of countries in Africa that partnered with one of our country’s telecommunication organisations, Dandemutande, for the provision of a fibre backbone project which is being commissioned today. The outstanding part about this project is that it is riding on our existing infrastructure of the National Railways of Zimbabwe,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said this positive development has seen the revamping and upgrading of the NRZ signalling system from analogue to digital.
“The fact that the project provides data links and Wi-Fi hotspots at NRZ railway sidings and stations, which will in turn benefit communities along the railway network, is most commendable. As we consolidate the gains of devolution and decentralisation, the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services is called upon to roll out similar critical infrastructure to other communities, such as those in Plumtree, Guruve, Nyamapanda and Chendambuya, among others,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the fast-changing technologies and ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution is unveiling new digital breakthroughs and possibilities for improving all sectors of the economy.
“My Government will, therefore, continue to avail resources for the growth of the ICT and telecommunications sector. It is pleasing that so far, the mobile network penetration rate has since increased to 97.5 percent, while the internet penetration rate is consistently growing, currently at 70.1 percent,” he said.
Additionally, President Mnangagwa said, since the expansion of deployed fibre optic networks, there has been an unprecedented creation and growth of diverse ICT-enabled services, in banking and finance, telecommunications, security, transport and tourism sectors, among others.
“I urge communities to take advantage of these developments to create wealth by improving the viability and profitability of their enterprises and projects. Small and Medium Enterprises, artists, music and cultural industries, women, the youth and farmers, among others, must exploit online platforms as well as ICT-driven productive and trading networks,” he said.
Thus, the country’s development cannot be divorced from ICTs and its penetration to every part of the country will reduce the urban-rural divide.