Staff Reporter
Government is intensifying its efforts to protect the nation's digital infrastructure in response to a surge in cyber-attacks and digital threats.
With the rising tide of hacking and data cloning incidents, authorities are prioritising both policy reform and practical measures to strengthen cybersecurity.
At a strategic review meeting held in Kadoma yesterday, Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal, and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at countering these challenges.
“The Government’s approach to enhancing digital security is deeply rooted in its broader goal of achieving a full digital transformation. We have so far trained 105 senior government officials, equipping them with digital security skills. These are some of the initiatives meant to deal with cyber threats such as data cloning and hacking," said Minister Mavetera.
Government is also reviewing key policies to address new digital challenges. These include the Artificial Intelligence Policy, the Postal and Courier Services Policy, the Child Online Safety Policy, the E-Waste Policy, the ICT Start-Up Policy, and the E-Commerce and E-Transactions Bill.
Minister Mavetera stressed the need for additional policies targeting disruptive technologies such as blockchain and machine learning.
"Among the key policies under review are the AI policy, the Postal and Courier Services Policy, the Child Online Safety Policy, the E-Waste Policy, the ICT Start-Up Policy, and the E-commerce and E-Transactions Bill. There is a need to also develop policies that deal with other disruptive technologies such as ICT, Blockchain Technology, and Machine Learning,” she explained.
Beyond policy development, Mavetera emphasised the critical need to fast-track the digitisation of Government services to align with the nation’s digital economy goals.
“The formulation of policies and laws is meaningless if we cannot translate them into improved connectivity for the general populace. Collaboration between the Government and the private sector will be key to achieving these goals,” Minister Mavetera stated.
She further underscored the importance of public-private collaboration in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the ICT sector.
“By working together, I believe that Zimbabwe can create an ecosystem that fosters creativity and entrepreneurship. We must invest more into application development and create an enabling environment for the growth of innovations in that regard,” she added.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Beaullah Chirume, highlighted the importance of opening up the ICT sector to both local and international partnerships, citing this as a vital aspect of the Government’s digital strategy.
“We want to grow our own industry, and to that end, the Government, through a partnership with the Chinese, has been working on the revitalisation of ZIDCO to produce affordable, locally-made gadgets,” Dr. Chirume said.
In a bid to boost digital literacy and expand access to ICT services, Government has also launched the Digital Ambassadors Programme.
This initiative aims to increase technological understanding across the country while fostering competition among internet service providers and strengthening Zimbabwe’s overall digital resilience.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, Government’s latest measures signal a proactive stance in safeguarding the nation’s digital future, aiming to create a secure and competitive digital environment for Zimbabweans.
