News / National
Mugabe clarifies Chinamasa's ministry of WhatsApp role
05 Nov 2017 at 07:56hrs | Views
THE appointment of Patrick Chinamasa as the Minister of Cyber Security, Threat Detection and Mitigation is important because it will help weed out those bent on abusing the internet for sinister agendas, President Mugabe has said.
He was speaking at the official opening of the Nkulumane Community Information Centre in Bulawayo yesterday.
The information centre is part of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe funded community projects that have seen the construction of 80 centres for US$900 000.
President Mugabe said Chinamasa's ministry allows Government to craft systems to combat cybercrime.
He said, "We have set up the Cyber Security Ministry to build our own cyber systems to defend ourselves from cybercrime. We are aware that there are some people who use the internet to fight us and implement what they say is regime change.
"This is not a first, actually some nations are at an advanced stage in controlling this social media, which is why we thought that Minister Chinamasa as a lawyer can help in controlling our cyber space.
"Truth is we can use these computers for many things to promote development. But some people are using these computers to cause disharmony. There are a number of countries which went this route all because of abuse of the cyber space. We don't want to emulate this."
The President said after commissioning the information centres, there is need to teach the communities to use the computers.
President Mugabe said the computer lessons should be free of charge. He said this after Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira had suggested that people should pay.
"Let us teach the communities to use these computers but please we have to be disciplined. We mustn't watch p-rnography because this is not why we are setting up these computers.
"The beauty of new technology is that it keeps us in contact. Teachers and students can now get all the solutions via ICT. These gadgets open people's minds and introduce people to the world out there, to the information out there," said the President.
The President then donated 10 computers each to 12 schools in Bulawayo province.
The schools that benefited are Hamilton High (Bulawayo Central), Mncumbatha Secondary (Imbizo), Ngwenyama Primary (Imbizo), Phumula South Secondary (Khami), Mtshede Primary (Mzilikazi), Induba Primary (Mzilikazi), Inyanda High (Khami), St Peters High (Khami), Baines Primary (Reigate), Lobhengula Primary (Reigate), Trenance Primary (Reigate) and Cowdray Primary School (Reigate).
Mandiwanzira said his ministry is training communities to fully utilize the gadgets.
"The aim is to ensure all constituencies have information centres across the country by year end," he said.
President Mugabe was accompanied by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Vice Presidents Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Cabinet Ministers and other senior Government officials.
He was speaking at the official opening of the Nkulumane Community Information Centre in Bulawayo yesterday.
The information centre is part of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe funded community projects that have seen the construction of 80 centres for US$900 000.
President Mugabe said Chinamasa's ministry allows Government to craft systems to combat cybercrime.
He said, "We have set up the Cyber Security Ministry to build our own cyber systems to defend ourselves from cybercrime. We are aware that there are some people who use the internet to fight us and implement what they say is regime change.
"This is not a first, actually some nations are at an advanced stage in controlling this social media, which is why we thought that Minister Chinamasa as a lawyer can help in controlling our cyber space.
"Truth is we can use these computers for many things to promote development. But some people are using these computers to cause disharmony. There are a number of countries which went this route all because of abuse of the cyber space. We don't want to emulate this."
The President said after commissioning the information centres, there is need to teach the communities to use the computers.
President Mugabe said the computer lessons should be free of charge. He said this after Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira had suggested that people should pay.
"Let us teach the communities to use these computers but please we have to be disciplined. We mustn't watch p-rnography because this is not why we are setting up these computers.
"The beauty of new technology is that it keeps us in contact. Teachers and students can now get all the solutions via ICT. These gadgets open people's minds and introduce people to the world out there, to the information out there," said the President.
The President then donated 10 computers each to 12 schools in Bulawayo province.
The schools that benefited are Hamilton High (Bulawayo Central), Mncumbatha Secondary (Imbizo), Ngwenyama Primary (Imbizo), Phumula South Secondary (Khami), Mtshede Primary (Mzilikazi), Induba Primary (Mzilikazi), Inyanda High (Khami), St Peters High (Khami), Baines Primary (Reigate), Lobhengula Primary (Reigate), Trenance Primary (Reigate) and Cowdray Primary School (Reigate).
Mandiwanzira said his ministry is training communities to fully utilize the gadgets.
"The aim is to ensure all constituencies have information centres across the country by year end," he said.
President Mugabe was accompanied by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Vice Presidents Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Cabinet Ministers and other senior Government officials.
Source - sundaymail
