THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority on Wednesday launched a Communications and Information Centre at Rushinga Business Centre in Mt Darwin, as part of its efforts to improve internet access to people living in rural areas.
BY TAPIWA ZIVIRA
The event, which was officiated by ICT minister Supa Mandiwanzira, saw the opening of Zimpost’s newly-renovated Rushinga Post Office, which has since been divided to create space for a computer lab that has 16 computers, printers and scanners that will be used for surfing the internet surfing at lower rates.
Speaking at the launch, Mandiwanzira urged Zimpost to put in place strict maintenance measures for the infrastructure.
“We do not want to come here a year later and discover that all the machines are not working anymore,” he said, amid revelations that some of the computers donated by President Robert Mugabe in schools in Mt Darwin were in a poor state.
Potraz chairman, Ozias Bvute, said the authority was targeting opening 70 such centres in Zimbabwe’s rural areas by December.
One of youths, who was surfing the net in the cafe, said he was excited about being able to access his favourite newspaper, NewsDay via the internet.
“I can now keep in touch with the happenings in the country,” he said, as he scrolled the screen while reading a NewsDay story.
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The opening of the centre preceded commemorations of World Post Day, which were held at Rushinga and attended by Mandiwanzira, government officials, traditional leaders, ICT and couriers services officials and hundreds of villagers.
At the launch, Mandiwanzira urged cellphone service providers to expand their data services to some of the remote areas of Rushinga.
In apparent reference to the Cyber Security Bill, which is being promulgated by the ICT ministry in what is seen as a move to stifle information sharing via mobile apps like Whatsapp, Mandiwanzira warned Rushinga villagers not to use the instant messaging platform “to intimidate others”.
