Boost for Zimbabwe e-Governance drive

Mako Jerera
The new dispensation under President Emmerson Mnangagwa continues to place priority on modern technology as more institutions of a digital inclination are being set up.
Today, the President officially opened the Zimbabwe Information Technology Company factory, a subsidiary of TelOne in Msasa, Harare.
The factory which has a production capacity of 150 000 units per day is a joint venture between the Office of the President and Cabinet, TelOne and Chinese Inspur Group.
It is expected to employ over 300 workers.
President Mnangagwa handed over the first batch of 1500 computers, comprising 900 desktops and 600 laptops assembled at this plant for use by civil servants manufactured by ZITCO.
The move feeds into the National Development Strategy 1`s thrust which gives precedence to seamless digital processes in national development and governance.
“The National ICT device factory dovetails with the Government’s ongoing innovation, science and technology development thrust and proves that ICT devices can indeed be produced locally. The facility will further help to promote technology transfer, foster human capital development, enhance import substitution and create robust platforms upon which innovations and designs can be commercialised,” President Mnangagwa said.
The President challenged innovators to see the setup of the factory as an opportunity to bring to the table the enabling solutions which will complement the hardware which will be produced by the centre.
“We must intensify our national efforts to develop software packages riding on the abundant intellectual capacity available in the country,” said President Mnangagwa.
The Information Technology Company factory is a key anchor of e-Government initiative which is an integral component of National Development Strategy 1.
The great initiative seeks to consolidate services, applications, infrastructure in order to provide efficient electronic services among Government departments, between Government and citizens, as well as between Government and business.
Immediately after launching the centre, President Mnangagwa left for Victoria Falls where he was launching the second-phase of the national Covid-19 vaccine.