By Staff Reporter
President Mnangagwa has today commissioned the Zimbabwe Information Technology Company (ZITCO), a National Information Technology Company (ICT) Device Factory, in Msasa, Harare and said the development of ICT products in the country will propel the country to economic growth.
ZITCO, a company jointly owned by Government, Telone and the Chinese Company Inspur, will assemble a variety of ICT gadgets including laptops, desktops, tablets, prepaid electricity meters, smart water meters among other technological gadgets.
The President said the launch of the ICT Device manufacturing factory is historic as it resonates with the country’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“The products (ICT products) will enable the modernization and automation of our systems to propel the national development priorities outlined in the National Development Strategy 1,” said President Mnangagwa
President Mnangagwa was impressed by young people who are assembling ICT gadgets at Msasa factory.
““We have young people working on latest technologies these young boys and girls here, and we always see this being done in developed economies and now it is here in Zimbabwe, in Msasa, this is fantastic and this is what we want and this is the way to go,” he said.
President Mnangagwa added that the National Device Assembly would ensure availability of ICTs to the public service and general market.
Speaking at the same event, Information Communication and Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said his Ministry will closely work with that of Higher and Tertiary Education, SME’s as well as Industry and Commerce for the development of ICT sector.
Minister Muswere added that the ICT Device making factory will transform the sector in Zimbabwe and save the country foreign currency through import substitution.
Telone head of corporate communications Mrs Melody Harry informed the President that ZITCO is the first-ever ICT plant in Zimbabwe.
She said the ZITCO Assembly Plant has become operational and has to date assembled a total of 2500 desktops and laptops.
She added that ZITCO will now move to full production with a production capacity of 150 000 ICT products expected annually.
Mrs Harry said that ZITCO’s partnership with original device manufacturers like Microsoft and certification as an Original Equipment Manufacturer is key in assuring originality and quality of ZITCO products.
The President was accompanied by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube, Minister Muswere, among other senior Government officials.
