By Evans Dakwa, News Editor
Beitbridge-The Minister of Information Communication Technology and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, has assured residents of Zimbabwe’s border towns and other underserved areas that the government is committed to ensuring no place is left behind in the digitalisation drive of the Second Republic.
She was speaking at Dumba Primary School in Beitbridge East constituency at the launch of the Matabeleland South Presidential goat pass on scheme by Young Women for ED for which she is also the national Chairperson.
“Three weeks ago, His Excellency talked to myself and Honourable Muswere registering his unhappiness with the issue of network connectivity in border towns including Beitbridge and Plumtree where there is also erratic or no television and radio signal.
“So I really want to assure you that it’s something that we are really working towards, to make sure you have mobile network and television signal here, can you give us a maximum of six months for us to make sure we act on that,” said the Minister to loud applause from the gathering.
The minister’s promise came in response to a plea by Beitbridge East legislator Albert Nguluvhe, who noted that the border district was being left behind in terms of network connectivity, contrary to the president’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind as Zimbabwe strives to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
As the people gathered at Dumba Primary school, mobile network connectivity was erratic as most cell phones registered Vodacom, Cell cee and MTN, all South African networks. The same goes for radio connectivity where its easier to get Phala Phala Fm than local radio stations except maybe for the community radio station Lotsha fm.
The digitalisation project did help to increase TV and radio connectivity across the country but there are still huge gaps that need to be dealt with to ensure every Zimbabwean has access to local broadcasting content, a situation the minister as assured Government is working frantically to address.