By Gwakura Choki
Information and communications technology (ICT) is a versatile industry of professionals ranging from engineers to programmers and technicians. The industry has enabled the growth of the economy by providing the convenience of transacting in the business sector and private societies. To that effect, the Zimbabwe Government have been making frantic efforts in making sure every corner of the country is covered in as far as access to information through ICTs is concerned.
The current Government heeded the call for opening all channels of access to information regardless of the existence of the risk of potential abuse in such a move. The Government considers access of information a human right and as such accelerated the rate of ICTs roll-out projects, all in the interest of citizens. Lately we have witnessed gross abuse of social media and an increase in cybercrime and to that effect in the interest of protecting honest citizens, the Government crafted the cyber bill.
It is only those criminals and cyber bullies like the MDC’s vanguard leadership who want an unregulated use of Internet. Responsible citizens use social media to communicate and socialise and as such the Government has the mandate to see to it that its citizens enjoys the internet responsibly. Social media abusers are portraying the lack of discipline and criminal tendencies which has impinged on the country’s security systems.
The Government has enabled the rolling out ICT infrastructure to enable research and development, easy transacting, easy and fast communication for its citizens in various capacities. Inversely, social media abusers have propagated fake news posing serious threat to national security. The cyber bill serves to protect the easy of doing business, since it does not inhibit anyone from responsible use of Internet.
The @MDCZimbabwe MPs have a tendency of walking out from parliamentary debates and absconding key debating sessions only to show up when they want to claim expensive cars. They should not complain about the Cyber Bill instead they should learn some political etiquette and try to attend parliamentary sessions. Complaining on #Social Media does not help anyone, but rather understand that laws are not enacted on #Social media.
