16 CIC, school computer labs commissioned in Midlands

SHURUGWI — THE Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier
Services on Monday commissioned 16 communication information centres (CIC) and school
computer laboratories in the Midlands province.
ICT Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere commissioned community information centres and school
computer laboratories in Kwekwe and Shurugwi while his deputy Dingimuzi Phuti led another team
which also did the same in Gweru, as the government continues to digitally connect to an upper
middle-income society by 2030.
The two teams later converged in Shurugwi for the main event where schools received laptops
under the smart Zimbabwe Masterplan programme.
Among the long list of beneficiaries were institutions supporting people with disabilities drawn from
across the country who received more than 100 laptops.
Speaking at the event, Minister Muswere said the journey towards a digital economy was
necessitated by the Second Republic in its quest not to leave anyone and any place behind.
“All the Zimbabwe Masterplan initiatives are a testimony to the government's commitment to
ensure that we leave no one and no place behind as we journey towards a digitally connected upper
middle-income society by 2030,” said Minister Muswere.
He said his ministry has an obligation to ensure that all Zimbabweans, regardless of geographical
location should access ICTs.
Technology and access to information, he said, was key in the national development of the country.
“The access to information will help in digital capability to be able to research to know how to
improve agricultural practices, how to develop roads, how to build bridges and manufacture vehicles
and even airplanes among others. This e-government and pedestal government is going to give us a
lot of knowledge and experience on how best we can develop our country,” he said.
The ICT Minister said everyone in the country should be able to get free internet and access to
information for easy research.
“However, we also believe that Internet access on its own is not enough. To truly bridge the digital
divide, there is a need for locally relevant content and tools aimed at creating a platform for
crowdsourced content and educating communities on local content production by local creators,”
Minister Muswere said.
Postal and Telecommunication Regulation Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) Director General Dr Gift
Machengete said apart from CICs’ and school laboratory projects, POTRAZ has been rolling out a
number of other ICT access and use projects to ensure that no place is left behind in the digital
highway.

“To mention but a few, the authority is funding the relocation of collocated towers around the
country to ensure unserved and underserved rural areas receive connectivity and they participate
fully in the digital economy in line with the requirements of NDS1,” said Dr Machengete.
He said all the three mobile network operators Econet, Net One and Telecel were taking part in
derigging selected towers at sites where there is duplication in terms of deployment and then
erecting them in areas that do not have connectivity.
In addition, Dr Machengete said POTRAZ was erecting three greenfield towers.
“This will bring to 23 the total number of shared towers erected by POTRAZ as the authority
continues to work towards enhancing passive infrastructure in underserved areas to increase
coverage by mobile operators so as to ensure no one is left behind in the digital economy as
demanded by NDS1,” he said.
Dr Machengete said the authority has provided assistive software and hardware to various
institutions housing people with disabilities.