Story by Owen Mandovha
THE Government says the liberalisation of the technological space with the coming on board of new players marks a new era in creating a modern smart society.
This was said by the Minister of ICT Postal and Courier Services, Honourable Tatenda Mavetera at the launch of a Starlink reseller in Harare this Wednesday.
“The attainment of Vision 2030 depends on creating a strong economic system that is technology-driven. Data has become the new currency and we expect rural communities to benefit from e-learning, reducing the rural-urban divide.
“Data connectivity will also spur the agriculture sector, mining and the provision of health to improve the standards of living of people,” she said.
Aura Group co-founder Mr Samulle Dimaiho applauded the government for liberalising the internet space in the country.
“The government has been a good partner in providing a regulation environment to operate and allow us to get registered. We welcome this licensing which give customers a variety of choices,” he noted.
Other stakeholders noted that reliable data connectivity is now the lifeblood of modern organisational workflows including agriculture, health and mining.
“The future of farming lies in adopting smart farming techniques from the distribution of critical farming tips on weather and agronomy practices and in our case the issue of connectivity was a big factor in spearheading smart farming so we welcome this development,” the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Rural Development, Honourable Vangelis Haritatos weighed in.
“At NatPharm, the supply management of drugs and tracking them is important in the provision of health services hence data which is reliable provides an impetus to create a strong supply management,” the managing director, Mr Newmana Madzikwa said.
The government believes the coming in of Starlink will complement existing players and create a competitive operating environment, noting there is a regulation in place to monitor how Starlink will operate according to laws applicable to any other telecommunication operator.
