Zimbabwe’s members of parliament (MPs) are set to receive tablets in the first quarter of 2017 courtesy of the World Bank.
According to Open Parly, this information was shared in an address made by the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, at the official launch of the Parliament of Zimbabwe’s enhanced website. Mudenda mentioned that the tablets are expected to assist the legislators better prepare for parliamentary sessions.
This follows the trend that has already been adopted in other countries like India, Jamaica and Ghana with the World Bank’s assistance similar to the support Fiji received from the United Nations for its MPs’ tablets.
While it remains to be seen whether MPs will use the new devices effectively, the move will go a long way in extending the efforts Parliament has been making to adopt technology for the efficient execution of its duties as the country’s legislative chamber.
The new website which was the reason for the launch already provides electronic access to parliamentary sessions through features like digital versions of the Hansard (the periodical that records all parliamentary proceedings), live blogs and recordings uploaded on Parliament’s SoundCloud account.
