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Unless one has been living in a cave over the past 20 years or so, the Internet has dramatically changed the way people communicate.

Social media not only provides information quicker than any other means, it allows the audience to participate in the news gathering and dissemination processes. Consumers also have a voice and at times an equal platform to respond to information in the public domain.

Gone are the days when newspapers, TV and radio were the only sources of news.

Today, anyone with access to a mobile phone, laptop or desktop can take part not only in the dissemination of information, but in national development.

Not to be outdone are politicians who use social media to keep in touch with their constituencies and to catch up with developments. In this information age, it is very easy to become irrelevant.

Elections are being won on the internet and whole countries are being developed through social media.

However, there is a flip side to the power accorded to social media users by information communication technologies. Countries have been destroyed through the same. Failed revolutions like the Arab Spring were ignited through Facebook and Twitter.

It is against this background that President Mugabe’s call on Zanu-PF youths to use information communication technologies to defend and promote the ruling party as well as for the development of the country made interesting reading.

President Mugabe told the Zanu-PF Youth League National Assembly at the ruling party headquarters in Harare on Saturday that social media should not be used negatively to attack party rivals.

President Mugabe’s call, which was also carried by this paper yesterday, is interesting on many levels.

Firstly, here is a leader of the largest and oldest political party in the country calling for responsible use of social media yet his opponents leading younger political parties can only think of using social media to cause anarchy in the country.

As we mentioned in yesterday’s issue, social media has been used positively in other countries to raise awareness of developments at home among the Diaspora as well as a medium to raise funding for businesses.

Regime change agents and activists have, however, been using social media to mobilise street protests in a bid to destabilise Government. Misguided political activists are using social media to fuel civil disobedience. To them, social media is not a tool, but a weapon.

By encouraging responsible use of ICTs, President Mugabe put to rest this false belief that he is afraid and/does not understand social media.

Said President Mugabe: “In promoting the party, our youths should use social media to defend the party and promote the party and develop Zimbabwe through ICTs. You all have a role to play in promoting our production and Zim-Asset Brand Zimbabwe.

“Brand Zimbabwe, the image of Zimbabwe, a Zimbabwe that is democratic, hardworking and peaceful. That’s the image, the Brand of Zimbabwe you should project outside. And also to defend it from its detractors. Our youths should learn from the youths in China, Cuba and Russia that economic success stories have resulted from proper and constructive use of ICT.”

President Mugabe has set a good example which needs following. Leaders of opposition parties must prove their worth and teach the truth to their youth.

We can either destroy our country or build the Zimbabwe we want through responsible use of ICTs. The high literacy rate the country enjoys should make development through communication easier in Zimbabwe than in a number of Third World countries.

Lastly, if ever the time comes for Government to regulate and control social media use, such a move will not be necessitated by ignorance or fear, but abuse. Those with ears have heard.