adminPresident Mugabe commissioned the new system that is expected to greatly improve network reliability, availability and security in the country’s southern region. The equipment and technology used on the new system was provided by Chinese company, Huawei, which is the world’s second largest supplier of telecommunications equipment.
The project which will be the nerve centre of the southern region telecommunications is testimony of the benefits of the country’s Look East Policy. The commissioning of the new system, as the President rightly observed, should boost the revival of industries in Bulawayo.
The investment of such magnitude by NetOne in the City of Kings and Queens should boost investors’ confidence in choosing Bulawayo as an investment destination of first choice. Communications is very vital in the operations of today’s business and those that invest in Bulawayo are now guaranteed efficient and reliable communication. On a broader scope, the commissioning of the new system has demonstrated beyond doubt that Zimbabwe, which has over the years managed to bust the effects of the illegal sanctions imposed by the West, can in fact do without the West.
It was through its Look East Policy that Zimbabwe managed to implement its farm mechanisation programme and continues to implement many other development projects through its all weather friends like the Chinese. The commissioning of the NetOne project coincided with the Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference under way in Bulawayo. High on the agenda of the conference is the issue of indigenisation and economic empowerment of the people.
The Government has already embarked on the programme of indigenisation and economic empowerment and already three community share ownership scheme trusts have been launched. These are Unki Mines in Shurugwi, Zimplats in Mhondoro-Ngezi, where communities were allocated a 10 percent stake in the mines, and Schweppes in Harare where workers now own 51 percent of the company’s shares. The objective behind the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme is to facilitate the takeover of the means of production by Zimbabweans. Zimbabweans should own and run companies as well as have a bigger say in the exploitation of their natural resources such as minerals.
It is therefore pleasing to note that the country is gearing itself for this mammoth task of taking over of companies by indigenous Zimbabweans through undertaking projects such as the upgrading of the telecommunications facilities. President Mugabe has repeatedly said he did not see any reasons why Zimbabweans would fail to run the companies because they have been running the same companies for years as employees so what will only change is their status from being employees to employers or owners of companies.
We want to implore the people’s conference to come up with strategies to decisively deal with individuals or groups of persons that want to put spanners in the works to derail the indigenisation and empowerment programme. The message should be very loud and clear that there is no going back on this policy and those that have been fence-sitting on this issue should be told here and now that they either comply or ship out.
We want to implore Zimbabweans to stop mourning about sanctions but to strategise and come up with innovative ways of growing our economy. It is not a secret that given our God-given riches in the form of minerals that we continue to discover, many of the countries that imposed sanctions on us are already regretting the move.
Online Reporter