Zimbabwe resurrects its ICT industry

By Siyabonga Africa, ITWeb junior journalist

Johannesburg, 07 Apr 2009

The Zimbabwean government is embarking on a 25-project planning initiative, over 100 days, in an effort to stimulate the revival of the country's ICT industry.

The government is expected to develop a national communications infrastructure master plan and ICT Bill, among other programmes, after consulting with stakeholders.

“The government has always been aware of the need and impact of ICTs and hence decided to dedicate a whole ministry to ICTs, with the view of exploiting its potential and positive impact on the national development agenda,” says Zimbabwean ICT minister Nelson Chamisa.

A statement from Zimbabwe's ICT department says the government will be engaged in a number of activities, including developing and managing nationwide infrastructure, mobilising resources and establishing smart partnerships for ICT development programmes.

Locals within the country are not sold on the government's proposals though.

Not convinced

“Any half-baked attempts to address the digital divide or gap will not only waste resources and opportunities, but literally take the nation a few decades backwards in terms of development,” says Robert Ndlovu, a private ICT contractor based in San Jose, US. He is originally from Bulawayo and left Zimbabwe in 2003 for the US.

Ndlovu says the Zimbabwean government should take a broad surgical approach to handling the many ICT challenges the country faces. These include inadequate access to technologies and electricity supplies and poor national and international bandwidth, among others.

According to the 2008-2009 World Economic Forum's Global IT Report, in 2007 Zimbabwe had 10.1 Internet users per 100 in its population, 9.2 mobile phone subscribers per 100, and the country's Internet bandwidth was at 0.0Mbps for every 10 000 people. This continues the country's downward ranking trend, which saw it fall from 117 out of 122 countries in the 2006-2007 report to its present ranking of 132 out of 134 countries.

Interfin Securities researcher Farai Dyirakumunda is positive about Zimbabwe's ICT prospects and says the regulatory environment, which has been blamed for high tariffs, should relax with the new political dispensation, which will bring in more foreign investment.

Back to basics

Local analysts believe the Zimbabwean government should focus on developing its basic infrastructure. Frost & Sullivan ICT analyst, Lindsey Mc Donald, says the government should concentrate on improving its fixed-line infrastructure, which she says is “ridiculously low”.

“Once the infrastructure is in place, the government can then look at where ICT development could be of use in other industries such as healthcare and mining.”

BMI-TechKnowledge MD Denis Smit agrees with Mc Donald and is adamant the basics should be in place before the Zimbabwean government pursues other ICT ventures.

IDC analyst Richard Hurst adds that government should divide its ICT goals into short-term ones, which can be achieved in two to three years, and long-term ones, which will be reached in five years or more.

“I expect most people will want to see some wide-sweeping deregulation of the ICT sector. In line with this, an open and competitive market should boost ICT uptake as well as democracy in the country.”