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Fungai Lupande-Mash Central Bureau

Illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West have hit the information communication technologies (ICTs) sector hard as it faces challenges in importing modern equipment and accessing lines of credit.

The ICT sector is a key enabler for other economic sectors and its challenges affect the rest of the industries.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Karanda Village Information Centre at Karanda Hospital in Mt Darwin on Monday, ICT and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said: “Sanctions have affected lines of credit, capacity and ability in software development. 

“They have affected the rights of children in access to e-learning platforms. Sanctions have affected foreign currency earning as a country which in turn affects balance of trade.” 

Dr Muswere said progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals has also been affected by sanctions.

The sector ICT has failed to choose equipment and suppliers of their choice due to illegal sanctions, said Dr Muswere.

“Sanctions are an albatross to the economic development of this country. Our coming here is testimony of our desire, vision and mission to ensure that we fully exploit the potential of ICTs and ensure that Zimbabwe becomes a digital economy.

“We will achieve all our goals despite these illegal sanctions. The use of ICT is a game changer and can help us to overcome some of the challenges we are currently having because of sanction.

“The use of ICT will ensure that we bridge the rural urban divide. Let us utilise ICTs to achieve vision 2030,” said Dr Muswere.

Speaking at the same occasion, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) director general Dr Gift Machengete said the negative impact of sanctions on the ICT sector has a ripple effect on other sectors of the economy.

“When ICT is affected by sanctions all other sectors are affected. ICT is a capital intensive sector and there is a need to import equipment,” he said.

“For a long time now the sector has not been able to import equipment which means that the equipment is antiquated and networks are old and cannot be upgraded resulting in poor quality of service.”

Dr Machengete said the sector fails to get properly licensed software because European and American service providers are afraid to be sanctioned for dealing with Zimbabwe.

“At the moment we are trying to get ICTs to the under-serviced areas, we could have done better if we had the equipment and computers. 

“We fail to import computers due to lack of foreign currency. We cannot export as much as we can under normal circumstances to earn foreign currency,” he said.

“This is why you have seen POTRAZ not penalising service providers when they fail to reach the standards required in terms of quality of service because we understand what they are going through.

“What happens in ICT affects agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and other sectors. We are the most hit by sanctions.”