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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
EVERY citizen is eligible to serve as a board member for a public company or State enterprise and can show interest by registering on an e-government database from where those who appoint boards pick individuals for vetting.

This was said by the head of the e-Government Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet Brigadier General (Retired) Charles Wekwete during the ongoing Computer Society of Zimbabwe (CSZ) information communication technologies (ICT) Summit in Victoria Falls yesterday.

He was responding to concerns by CSZ members about being overlooked in appointment of boards especially in State-owned enterprises.

The ICT professionals said they are not adequately represented in public sector boards despite their expertise in the new digital world which is key in the country’s drive towards an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Brig Gen Wekwete said the issue is historical as ICT was previously not a stand-alone department in any organization but things had changed with the 4th industrial revolution which is computer backed.

“Government a few years ago introduced a system to identify members for appointment into State-owned enterprises boards. If you feel you want to be appointed, there is an online platform where you register,” said Brig Gen Wekwete.

“The process of appointment to State owned enterprises boards has been modified to now allow all Zimbabweans to apply to the corporate governance unit in the OPC and provide information and volunteer to serve on any of the boards. The individual is then required to provide their details to the corporate governance unit and indicate where they think due to their skills and experience, they would best serve.”

He said boards are appointed by different institutions and ministries who are required to go to the platform and select from the database.

Once one registers on the platform, they go through a process of vetting which includes verifying their qualifications and experience.

“Everybody in the ICT world is encouraged to go and register because if they are not registered nobody knows who they are. This applies not only in ICT related companies or State-owned enterprises but in any board because we now depend so much on ICT,” he said.

The four-day conference which started on Wednesday and ends tomorrow is being held under the theme: “Digital Innovations For Post Pandemic Recovery.”

It was organized by CSZ.

CSZ president Mr Allen Saruchera said ICT experts have a role to play in every economic sector.

“Within the Government they have shared that there is a platform available and we need to register ourselves so we have our professionals on that platform and to continuously engage with relevant ministries.

The answer that came out is that there is that consultative role that needs to be played so that at board level there are ICT experts who are well knowledgeable in the sector to provide the necessary expertise as the organizations adopt.

We are very happy that there is a way forward and that there is a system in place,” he said. — @ncubeleon