Mugabe lashes out at individuals who abuse cyber space

PRESIDENT Mugabe has lashed out at unscrupulous individuals who abuse cyber space saying there was a need for the Government to urgently introduce policies that will help curb the practice.

Speaking at the official opening of the Lupane community information centre yesterday, President Mugabe said while moving towards Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was a step in the right direction, it was unfortunate that there were people who were abusing the facility for their own selfish gains.

The Lupane community information centre is part of a project funded by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz). The authority aims to construct information centres in all the country's constituencies.

To date they have constructed 82 centres at a cost of more than $800 000.

President Mugabe said it was a cause for concern that cyber criminality was on the increase hence the need for the creation of deliberate policies to deal with malcontents.

"Our children right now get wiser when they are still young because of these ICTs but unfortunately there is this issue of cyber abuse. Some unscrupulous and wrong minded people commit cyber crimes.

"These matters are being looked at country by country, we are worried that the area of cyber criminality is increasing and something must be done," said the President.

He commended the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services for establishing the information centres noting that the centres will go a long way in empowering communities.

He said it was essential to note that the education system had evolved such that both the learners and teachers were now empowered because of the rise of ICTs.

"Learning back then was all about teachers reading books and getting information and then transmitting that information. The teachers would also distribute the books to enable the children to get information from those books. The teachers had to be ahead of the children.

"However, now we suddenly have these ICTs with computers. The computer can get information on practically any subject that you would want to learn about. Sources of information are now at everyone's disposal. It is now easy not only for the lecturers or teachers but also for the students," said President Mugabe.

He said it was essential for the country to embrace ICTs and accept that it was playing a major part in the development of the nation as it ensured connectivity with the outside world.

Mugabe said the next step was for people to harness the information being availed by the ICTs and ensure that they incorporate it into their day to day activities.

"I remember that I started this computer programme through donating computers to secondary schools, but now it is not only secondary schools because the universities were ahead and now computers are now a science at university level.

"It was then that I thought that yes we might have computers at our institutions but what about computers within our communities hence the idea to establish these community centres. I hope now that we have established these centres they will be adequately used and the information availed here used not only to develop the individuals but the community as a whole," said President Mugabe.

He took the opportunity to donate 120 computers to Masenyane primary school, Mtupane Secondary school, Vulindlela Secondary school, Jotsholo primary school, Kusile Government primary school and Makhovula Primary school.

Speaking at the same event, Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira revealed that they were working on a facility that will see key Government services being availed to communities through the information centres.

President Mugabe was accompanied to the launch by the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, the two Vice Presidents Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials.