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Nokutenda Chiyangwa Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe can achieve unprecedented economic transformation through the adoption of digital technologies which improve stewardship of public funds, as well as assist in the development ofpeople-centric policies, a Cabinet Minister has said. In a speech read on his behalf by permanent secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Cyber Security Engineer Samuel Kundishora at the Khusela Business Intelligent Technologies (KBIT) launch in Harare on Thursday, Minister Supa Mandiwanzira said Zimbabwe was faced with a unique situation which presented both challenges and opportunities.

“Zimbabwe is open for business,” he said.
“How we respond to this demand will do nothing less than shape the future of our world.
“Today, I am confident that Zimbabwe can together re-imagine the future and achieve unprecedented transformation through the adoption of digital technologies.

“As big data technology (large data sets analysed for patterns) matures, and Government adoption increases, we can expect greater productivity and efficiency, better services, more cost savings, and significant public health improvements.”
Minister Mandiwanzira said technology – from Artificial Intelligence (AI) to machine learning – will continue to help transform citizens’ lives.

He noted that it was up to public sector organisations, with the help and partnerships of technology companies like KBIT, to improve people’s lives.

Minister Mandiwanzira, who said Government was welcoming new players in the ICT market, commended KBIT for responding to President Mnangagwa’s call for investment.

“When it comes to private versus public services, there has always been a split in terms of perception,” he said. “The private sector is viewed as nimble, fast, and productive.

“Public services are often caricatured as slower, less innovative, and less responsive.
“Meanwhile, consumers and our citizens have progressively been conditioned by modern technology to expect high-quality, responsive services.”

Minister Mandiwanzira said since consumers were used to the allure of services such as cloud technology and on-demand online services, they become frustrated when public services fail to deliver the same.
Government was determined to change the narrative, he said.

“We are committed to creating an environment where both public and private sectors can leverage digital technologies to help transform the lives of our people,” said Minister Mandiwanzira.

KBIT Technologies is a South African on-site business computer and network service company that plans to set up offices in Zimbabwe.
The company will be working with its local partner, SAP.