Zimbabwe Government plans to control social media abuse! The Government is devising ways to curb rampant social media abuse by some malcontents who are taking advantage of widespread internet connectivity, President Mugabe has said.
The President decried social media abuse, saying obscene messages and images on such platforms are threatening the nation’s morality and could influence the youths negatively.
At the opening of Chikato Community Information Centre in Mucheke on the sidelines of the 16th Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference here yesterday, President Mugabe said Zimbabweans are supposed to use the internet for constructive purposes.
The centre was once Old Mucheke Post Office and has now been refurbished by the Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Ministry to serve as an information hub.
President Mugabe said, “Mazuva ano kune ny’any’a ikoko dzinoshandisa internet. Vamwe vanobva vada kushandisa internet kutukana kana kunyombana. Zvimwe zvinotaurwa ipapo zvinonyadzisa, zvinotopaza misoro yevana vedu.
“Tiri mushishi izvozvi kutozama kutsvaga nzira dzekudzivirira kushandiswa kweinternet zvakaipa uye ndinovimba kuti communication information centre yatavhura pano haingashandiswe zvakaipa.’’
President Mugabe said the internet is a repository of knowledge which both rural and urban communities could exploit.
“I am happy because this Community Information Centre Programme has given impetus to our computerisation programme in schools in a superior way, a super way.
“People should be taught how to use computers and the various uses of a computer. Pane vezvikoro painternet hapana chisipo. Masubjects ese aripo, nyika dzese — geography yacho — nehistory yenyika ipi neipi zvayo iripo painternet. Mathematics, geometry. . . zvese; teacher anokwanisa kuzviwana saka zvinobatsira zvikuru.’’
The President said Government wants every secondary school in Zimbabwe to have computers in the next five years, adding that this can be achieved if the current momentum to bring internet services closer to the people is maintained.
“Takatanga programme yemacomputers muzvikoro zvesecondary tichibvunza kueducation nekuparty kuti: Zvikoro zvingani muprovince yakati neyakati zvave nemagetsi kuti tigovapa macomputers? Saka taiti apa 10 macomputers apa 10, pathree or four schools muprovince.
“Ndiwo mavambiro atakaita chirongwa ichi. Taitarisa zvekare kuti pachikoro pacho paive nateacher anogona kudzidzisa macomputers acho here.
‘‘Kana pasina toti tiudzei. Tatanga chirongwa chekupa zvikoro macomputers hatina kuridza mabhosvo kwete.
“Taiita chinyararire. Kana taenda kurally topawo zvikoro munzvimbo iyoyo macomputers kusvika tapedza zvese zvine magetsi. Vamwe vaitonyepa kuti tine magetsi ivo vasina dzichingori shungu, and these computers are lying idle, but this is how we started this Schools Computerisation Programme.’’
President Mugabe said there are stocks of computers at Zimbabwe House that are awaiting distribution to schools.
He also advocated for the expansion of the Rural Electrification Programme to include more rural learning institutions.
ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira said community information centres must be set up in each of Zimbabwe’s 210 constituencies by December 2017.
He said 70 centres are at various stages of construction, and will be operational before 2016 is out.
“We do not want people in our communities to go through problems of travelling long distances to access Government services,” he said.
“We want all the information centres to offer Government services through e-government.’’
Minister Mandiwanzira said his ministry had set aside US$6 million to help youths develop their own internet programmes.
Chikato Community Information Centre will offer services like internet surfing, faxing, photocopying, printing, Wi-Fi and scanning, among others.
President Mugabe handed over 97 computers to Zimbabwe Chiefs’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira for distribution to eight community information centres in Masvingo.
Present at the event were Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko and Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Shuvai Mahofa, among other dignitaries.