BY SAMUEL NJINGA IN MASVINGO
The Speaker of Parliament, Honorable Jacob Mudenda is calling for the full utilisation of digital technology in massaging and revitalizing the country`s economy.
Addressing parliamentarians during the 2 workshops programmes for the portfolio committee on industry and commerce and thematic committee on indigenisation and empowerment as well as the joint portfolio committees on ICT, Postal and Courier Services and Media and Broadcasting Services induction held at Great Zimbabwe Hotel and Clevers` Resort in Masvingo a coupleof dsys ago, Mudenda implored the arm of Government to come up with legislation that promotes digitalisation and industrialization through innovation and research studies geared towards resuscitation of the country`s economy.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we talk of industrialization, Britain and other countries including the United States, developed because they decided to use digital technologies. Countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, United Kingdom among others have succeeded as a result of this approach. Ministers, you can drive the economy of Zimbabwe through ICT and efficient use of Artificial Intelligence” said Mudenda.
He added, “This Committee must work on answering questions on how we can do it? The South Koreans` brains, Germans` brains, Japanese’s brains and those in the United Kingdom`s brains are not different from us, we can do it. Come up with legislation that promotes ease of doing business in a digital world of the day.”
Today, data provided from the World Bank shows that China and the United States continue to be the global leading giants in exporting goods. China is now affectionately known as the Factory of the World as it produces over 220 types of industrial products, including vehicles and computers. Research also shows that China’s total exports reached $3.71 trillion in 2022.
The Speaker of Parliament also called on parliamentarians to value each other`s opinions, develop a culture of respect and understand that they are ‘servants” of the people since they are in high ranking offices as a result of the grace from the people of Zimbabwe who voted them into power.
Also addressing delegates and at the same time responding to some of the issues raised by the Speaker, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Dr Tatenda Mavetera, who admitted that there is more to be done, said that her Ministry is working hard in order to make sure that challenges emanating from the cost of data are dealt with. She articulated how the issue of data had made the Ministry`s obligations cumbersome and further elaborated on the intervention that the Ministry had undertaken in order to make sure that data is easily accessible and affordable. Dr Mavetera also highlighted how the Ministry intends to see all transport systems digitilise as well as dealing with threats such as cyber attack to information.
“On skills and development training, we are enhancing our cyber security training. On policy formulation we talk of artificial intelligence policy. As for the issue of an e Government, as a Ministry, we are working hard to make sure that all Government departments digitalise.We are working on a security operation information centre whereby we want to monitor a lot of cyber attacks which we face as a country realising that Zimbabwe is ranked 122th at global level in terms of cyber attack” said Dr Mavetera.
Dr Mavetera also talked about the introduction of SheTech programmes that are expected to help girls as pathways into various professions.