Smart City Expo for Mutare
MANICALAND will next month host the inaugural Smart City Summit and Expo as part of efforts to lure investors to partner Government and local authorities to improve the quality of services offered to citizens.
The summit, the first of its kind in the country, is being organised by the Office of the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba and Mutare City Council.
It will be held on November 30, under the theme: “To Develop Zimbabwean Cities as Global Destinations-Offering High Quality Living to Citizens using Technology-based solutions.”
Dr Gwaradzimba said the summit was an opportunity to put the spotlight on the province.
“My office, in conjunction with the City of Mutare, plans to host the Manicaland Zimbabwe Smart City Summit and Expo,” she said.
“It will be a big event where we invite Zimbabweans in business, Government officials, including His Excellency President Mnangagwa, as well as other Heads of Governments in Africa.
“The smart city concept is an all embracing concept that includes all aspects of business and life. The concept has been adopted in many countries including African countries like Rwanda, Johannesburg in South Africa and Windhoek in Namibia.
“As Zimbabwe, we also want to take the initiative and start with Manicaland where the wise men and women are.
“We want to take the lead and everyone else will follow.”
Dr Gwaradzimba said the summit was being held in response to President Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra.
“The Smart City Concept is in sync with the new dispensation’s thinking that we want to invite and host as many investors as possible who might want to come and do business with us,” she said.
Dr Gwaradzimba said Manicaland was endowed with many natural resources that include timber, diamonds and gold and the summit was an opportunity to promote the province as a Special Economic Zone.
Mutare City Council town clerk, Mr Joshua Maligwa, said the Summit would put Mutare on the map as the city would be able to compete with other smart cities on the continent.
“Mutare naturally, by virtue of its geographical position, is supposed to be competing with cities like Cape Town and Durban hence the moment we embark and embrace the Smart Cities concept, I think we will be in a position to compete regionally and internationally,” he said.
He said programme would bring in many investors willing to partner with the local authorities and companies in the province.
Mr Maligwa added that under the smart city concept, the city fathers would implement several projects including the urban renewal initiative, installations of a smart licensing system and a smart water metering system among others.
A smart city is an innovative city that uses Information and Communication Technologies and is equipped with basic infrastructure to improve quality of life, provide digital connectivity, increase efficiency of urban operations, services and competitiveness.