BY SAMUEL NJINGA
Villagers in Malipati, a remote community in Chiredzi South near the Gonarezhou National Park, have made an urgent plea to telecommunications authorities and mobile network operators to erect mobile boosters in the area, citing years of digital isolation that have affected health, education, security, and livelihoods.
The call comes amid growing frustration over the persistent lack of mobile phone network coverage in the southeastern Lowveld region, which borders Mozambique and South Africa.
Hlayisani Simango, a local resident and community spokesperson, appealed directly to the relevant government ministries and service providers to urgently address the matter.
“We are pleading with responsible authorities to intervene. We are suffering here. There is no communication, and this has affected every aspect of our lives,” said Simango.
Residents say the lack of connectivity has left them cut off from the rest of the country. Teachers cannot access government circulars or online learning materials. Health workers cannot coordinate emergency responses or access real-time health alerts. Traders and farmers face challenges in transacting through mobile money platforms or checking market prices.
Petros Mapengo, a teacher at a local primary school, said the digital blackout is robbing the community of opportunities for development.
“The absence of network is depriving the community of lots of things. We can’t communicate during emergencies, we can’t access information, and our biological children are being left behind academically.”
Villagers are often forced to walk or travel several kilometres, sometimes to elevated points along the Mwenezi River or the edge of the Gonarezhou Park, just to send a text message or make a phone call. Others reportedly rely on SIM cards from South Africa or Mozambique, which work intermittently along the border.
The network problem is not new. Malipati and surrounding areas including Gezani, Davata and Sengwe have for years struggled with poor or zero connectivity, despite numerous appeals to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) and mobile operators like NetOne and Econet Wireless.
In 2021, NetOne announced plans to erect two mobile towers in the Chiredzi South constituency one near Headman Gezani’s area and another at Chief Sengwe’s homestead. The project was supposed to extend coverage across a 70-kilometre radius, including Malipati.
However, progress has been slow, and the promised infrastructure is yet to materialise fully in Malipati.
Digital connectivity is increasingly being recognised as a basic necessity for modern life. The absence of mobile network access undermines the government’s Vision 2030 targets of inclusive and sustainable development, particularly in rural and border communities.
Without proper network coverage, efforts to improve access to e-governance, remote learning, e-health services, and mobile financial services are rendered ineffective.
“Mobile connectivity is not just about making phone calls. It is now a critical enabler for development. Without it, rural communities are left behind,” said an ICT expert from Masvingo, who asked not to be named.
Villagers are now calling on the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services to prioritise Malipati in its rural connectivity strategy. They are also urging POTRAZ to ensure mobile network operators deliver on their obligations, especially under the Universal Services Fund, which is designed to support underserved areas.
There is also a call for greater transparency and community involvement in site planning and infrastructure rollout to ensure towers are strategically placed to benefit the largest number of users.
As Zimbabwe makes strides in expanding digital services across the country, Malipati residents say they feel forgotten.
“All we want is to be part of the national conversation. We want to be able to call an ambulance, check in on family, access mobile banking, and let our children learn online like everyone else,” said Simango.
Until mobile boosters are installed, Malipati remains in the digital shadows just a few kilometres from the border, yet worlds away from full participation in the digital age.