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THE Government has moved to encourage the growth of the local information, communication and technology (ICT) sector by instituting a 30 percent quota local procurement policy for software.
This will apply to both the public and private sectors. ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira said the provisions are contained in the recently approved National ICT Policy and would be extended to laws governing the ICT sector.
“The country’s mobile network operators have been increasing investment into boosting their networks. What we need to do is be alert that this network can actually be harvested by people sitting in Silicon Valley. Microsoft does not put a cent in putting fibre in this country, Government does.
“But who comes in to take the business? It’s Microsoft because all schools must have Microsoft software. So why should we not now turn the Government investment that is paid for by tax payers to empower Zimbabweans.
“We can continue working with those (external software developers) but let’s have a deliberate effort to bring our people into that money chain and we have said through our policy — the new ICT Policy — which was recently approved by the Government that 30 percent of all our software procurement by the Government and industry must come from locals,” said the Minister.
“We have to deliberately create the market if we are to be successful. We believe that we must put provisions within regulations and within the law to say you must support the locals to the extent of 30 percent of your expenditure.”
He was speaking during the Zimbabwe ICT Innovators Dialogue meeting this morning. The Government, through the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services — will “soon” launch a $25 million ICT Young Innovators fund aimed at incentivising and rewarding innovation by young technopreneurs. Minister Mandiwanzira said a number of corporations had indicated that they are keen on partnering with a number of innovators.
Potraz to reduce mobile data charges. Meanwhile, sector regulator, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) says it is pushing telecoms operators to introduce a minimum data charge.
“We have asked ourselves the question how can we make data affordable such that it is a tool for development rather than a privilege, that price is used a basis for discrimination. We are in the process of directing our mobile operators with regards to a floor price, a basis minimum price that we feel data should be provided at,” said Potraz chairman Mr Ozias Bvute.
“In the next month or two, we should be at a point where data is affordable.” Official figures show that Zimbabwe’s mobile data utilisation grew by 117 percent to record 3 682 860 182 megabytes (MB) last year from 1 695 368 025MB in 2014. — BH24
Online Reporter