The recent adjustment of mobile data prices by Zimbabwe’s largest mobile network operator, Econet Wireless has triggered a lot of backlash from subscribers who have been directing their anger at both Econet and the government.
On social media, the Minister of ICT, Supa Mandiwanzira, was asked a series of questions by people who wanted to know why the government, through its regulator, POTRAZ is setting the high tariffs.
Mandiwanzira, who is on leave has promised to get to the bottom of the issue.
#DataCost. Seen your Qs. I’m on leave until Jan 30 & out of the country since Boxing Day. On return to work, I will get to the bottom of it.
— Supa Mandiwanzira (@SupaCollinsM) January 11, 2017
It will be interesting to see if the Minister’s involvement in the issue will result in any reversal of the tariff hikes.
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9 comments
I thought that POTRAZ needed a go ahead from the relevant ministry to issue such a directive. A lot of buck tossing from Supa
wait a minute… mbudzi iyi irikuti yaisaziva this potraz agenda?
Jesus, allah or Zeus whoever is listening fix this now.
he better do something
He is the same guy who said that govt had not blocked Whatsapp during the demos
Potraz falls under OPC not the ministry of ICT so they do not need approval from the ministry.Potraz ndiyo iya yaane director, a former OPC director. Apa Supa aita mudiki. Watch the space anosvika achinyarara hake
Here I thought we had a young vibrant minister who understands the needs of our generation but alas he is behaving like the old tired recycled ministers. He seems to have no idea on the contribution of ICT to the economy. Instead it appears he is obsessed with destroying the only affordable means of communication available to the young people of this country. He cannot say “I’ll get to the bottom of this” when he is the one who hand-picked the current POTRAZ board promising new thinking in telecommunications. This ministry needs a technocrat not a conflicted politician torn between partisan party politics and bridging the digital devide. And we are not asking him to reinvent the wheel but to observe other successful ICT models and adapt them to our local needs. I honestly think he is no longer in touch with the needs of the future generation. Just do the honourable thing and go. We have enough intelligent brains to lead Zimbabwe into the technology revolution.
He was busy listening to $4 million dollars getting into his foreign account via Megawatt Energy whilst his friend Ozias Bvute was busy messing up people. Just read this story and you will understand why the minister didnt know what was happening at Potraz:
https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2017/01/08/4m-murky-deal-haunts-minister/
Econet is a proper capitalist run company(forget about Strive preaching Christianity and telling people that he pray everytime) they are not going to miss an opportunity to make good profit before everything is reversed.
he is an Ass
How could he possibly not have been aware of and been actively involved in the formulation of this…. absolute Bollocks, Just not good enough for a minister to respond this way.
And if by some miracle he was indeed not involved and not aware got-damn heads must roll and this must be reversed and reviewed
Every other telecoms company in the world is dealing with the same scenario of users opting for data over voice… be competitive not punitive
Data should not be the ultimate end… but a means towards an end … a means to do business SMH.