The government has been talking about digitising government departments and agencies for years. Digitising should means transitioning from traditional, paper-based systems to digital processes, tools, and technologies.
However, it appears that in practice, digitising simply means giving out computers. We saw this when schools were digitised and some without access to electricity, let alone internet access, saw their computers gather dust in computer labs.
One can only hope our digitisation efforts have improved as we read about the government giving ‘ICT gadgets’ to Rural District Councils (RDCs).
RDCs get computers
ICT Minister Mavetera handed over 415 computers to 39 RDCs yesterday. This is but the first batch as more are set to be handed out to other RDCs in the course of the year.
Mavetera said they chose to start with RDCs because they needed the most help. Said she,
So, when we did our analysis for us to find out which Government departments need capacitation, we realised that RDCs need great capacitation.
Eloquently put, if you ask me. She went on,
This is very, very important because we realised that in terms of service delivery, in terms of even their capacity, whatever they need to do will be enhanced very much.
Indeed, whatever they need to do will be enhanced very much with these computers. However, like I said above, our digitisation efforts should not just be dumping computers at an organisation, taking our pictures, and returning to Harare.
Fortunately, it appears that the Minister is thinking beyond just the physical computers. She talked about the Ministry doing work to ensure the RDCs have internet access and even working with the Ministry of Local Government to provide power to them. Said she,
We need to equip them with the hardware. We have also gone some way in terms of connectivity, high-value connectivity, also increasing the uptime.
I believe she is talking about Starlink here. The satellite internet service is an affordable way to get reliable internet service to remote areas. That should be the high value connectivity she is talking about here.
She went on,
So we have engaged the Ministry of Local Government and said to them, it is quite important for them to also look at initiatives to provide alternative power sources, so that when it comes to connectivity, it is readily available, especially for RDCs.
So that’s power and internet access covered, or at least thought about. That only leaves training. I’d say our digitisation efforts are looking better already. Let’s hope it’s not just talk but that the RDCs will indeed get all that was promised.