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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
VILLAGERS in Nopemano in Bulilima West constituency were last Friday finally connected to the rest of the world after NetOne set up a base station in the area, a development that brings online learning in the area.

Before the base station was set up, the area had no network.

The base station will enable online learning at seven schools.

It was a day of happiness for villagers there who had gone for years experiencing network challenges and it seems the base station will be a relief to them.

The base station will see a population of 15 000 people being connected through enhanced ICT services. The base station connectivity radius is 29km radius covering more than 10 clinics and schools and an irrigation scheme.

During its commissioning, a number of schools such as Nopemano Primary School, Tokwana Primary, Gonde Primary School and Madlambuzi Police Station received computers, printers and books from NetOne, TelOne, Telecel, ZarNet and other parastatals.

A villager Mrs Hannah Ncube said the base station will enable her to communicate with her child in South Africa.

“I have a child who is in South Africa and we were having trouble communicating. We had to go to certain points so that we could receive phone calls. However, we are pleased that Government through NetOne has put this base station and it will make it easy to communicate,” said Mrs Ncube.

Another villager who identified himself as Nduna said the computers will enable school children to be ready for the digital world.

“The computers and the connectivity to the world will be helpful for the children to keep abreast with the world. We thank NetOne for these computers which will be key to enhance the education of our children,” said Mr Nduna.

During the commissioning of the base station, the Minister of Information Communication Technologies Postal and Courier Services Dr Jenfan Muswere, pledged to ensure that before the end of the first quarter, a community information centre would have been set up in the constituency.

The Minister who was accompanied by his deputy, Dingumuzi Phuthi, NetOne CEO Raphael Mushanawani, Potraz CEO Dr Gift Muchengete among other top officials also commsissioned an e-learning laboratory at Nopemano Primary School.

Deputy Minister Phuthi is also the area’s MP.

Dr Muswere said the establishment of the base station was in line with Vision 2030.

“ICTs access and utilisation are poised to have a more profound impact on developing economies. In the transport sector they talk of a road economy, in the ICT sector we believe that a base station is an economy. Today we bring smart agriculture, smart learning, smart health and smart mining to Matabeleland South and in particular to the people of Bulilima,” said Minister Muswere.

“The National Development Strategy Number One (NDS1) seeks to provide ICTs and digital access at village level. In support of NDS1, our core business is to ensure we connect the unconnected.”

Minister Muswere said the impact of ICTs access and utilisation on smart mining and smart agriculture is poised to be profound as it will connect irrigation, subsistence and livestock farmers.

“The digital solutions provided will facilitate e-learning for more than seven schools including an improved classroom management system. The community will also benefit from e-commerce activities through improved business engagement and connectivity Bezha, Khame, Ndolwane, Madlambudzi and Ntoli as well as Tokwana Clinic among other surrounding areas,” said Minister Muswere.

He said the Bulilima community will now easily access e-government services such as applications for passports, marriage certificates, national identity cards and birth certificates.

Deputy Minister Phuthi said the base station will enhance business and agriculture in the area.

The area has not had electricity for two months and Deputy Minister Phuthi said he would engage Zesa officials to fix the fault.

“We have engaged Zesa and told them that this is a critical service that needs to be looked at. I want to think that they are working on something and that doesn’t mean I’m withdrawing my disappointment. We want to work with

Government together to make the economy work,” said Deputy Minister Phuthi.

Mr Mushanawani said the establishment of the base station was in line with President Mnangagwa’s identified national goals.

“The launch of Nopemano base station brings excitement to the market as this fulfils one of the key goals of NetOne. The drive towards a digital economy has yielded positive results for the organisation today as we witness the launch of Nopemano base station. It dovetails with the mandate of the Ministry of ICTs to connect the unconnected, and to improve access to ICTs and has become a key economic indicator. ICT is at the heart of the Second Republic of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and NDS1 as an enabler for development,” he said.

He said the base station will also enable online learning at seven schools, something that Covid-19 showed was critical especially for rural learners.
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