ZRP looking for computerization partner – Kazembe

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister, Kazembe Kazembe said on Wednesday the Zimbabwe Republic Police was looking for a potential partner for the computerization of its operations.

Speaking after meeting Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, Kazembe said computerization of police operations had started, but would not say how much ground had been covered.

Known as the ZRP Integrated Information System, it will include electronic traffic management, crime management, and the forensic and human resources departments.

“What I can tell you is that its work that has started as I’m speaking right now, so we are open to partners. The ZRP has already done what they call a needs assessment, they have already identified what they want and now they are at the stage of identifying a partner to work with in this regard so I can safely say to you, this year, I’m not sure if it will be this quarter or the next but it will definitely be this year,” Kazembe said.

“In fact we have this programme as one of our flagship programmes in our 100 day cycle.”

He said the ZRP computerization is part of the Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ministry’s integrated ICT solution/strategy which was approved by Cabinet in 2022.

Other ministry departments covered under the programme, Kazembe said, are immigration and civil registry which have their own technology systems which are already operational, for example e-passports, upgrading of the issuance of other identity documents and bringing all registry offices countrywide online.

A company has since been awarded the tender for the online border management system, and is already busy at work.

Kazembe said he and Ding, who arrived in Zimbabwe in June last year, also focused on the cordial relations between Zimbabwe and China which are evidenced by the many projects that the latter helped implement in the country.

These include the new Zimbabwe Parliament building in Mt Hampden, the RG Mugabe International Airport, the 600mw Hwange 7 and 8 Thermal Power Station, the Dinson Iron and Steel Company’s Manhize steel plant in Mvuma, Midlands province, and a number of lithium projects going on in the country.

“We are happy about the mutually beneficial relationship that exists between our two countries and we also spoke about the possibility of extending that cooperation to the Ministry of Home Affairs through the ZRP,” he said. “I was talking to the ambassador about the non-availability of police officers on the streets of China. You would think that there is no policing in China but no, it’s because of technology and we are saying maybe we could cooperate in that area as well.”

Zimbabwe is also interested in getting Chinese assistance in the preservation of cultural heritage, an area China has vast expertise.

New Ziana