The Sunday Mail
Clemence Machadu Insight Howdy folks!
As a researcher, I am often frustrated by the processes involved in getting information from Government ministries and other departments. It is a Herculean task to access information that ordinarily should be made available to members of the public. Information that other countries simply make accessible on websites for their citizens and foreigners; in Zimbabwe, it is a closely guarded secret.
Even in cases where those in public office should account, there simply is no information.
It is surprising to note that some key ministries and departments do not even have websites.
And it seems those that have them do not even bother to update them.
We live in an era where information plays a vital role in supporting progress.
Information is power.
Failure to provide information has its own destructive community, national, regional and international consequences.
It creates vacuum for some malcontents to take advantage of the opportunity to mislead members of the public.
Interestingly, we find some of the Government departments still living in the Before Computer and Internet (BC) era advertising a lot on other websites and in the print media.
The mid-term fiscal policy review highlighted an important issue that is sympathetic to the frustrations I alluded to earlier.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said in this age of information communication technologies, well managed public institutions’ websites provide vital information and hence are tools of enhancing transparency over Government processes and operations.
He correctly explained that most websites are currently outdated and lack timely updating, compromising and depriving the public access to information.
The minister further highlighted that Government wants all ministries and departments to efficiently manage their websites in line with current modern trends.
Government has been implementing the e-government programme as part of public sector reforms since 2011 with the hope of modernizing the public sector systems.
But judging by the current ICT levels in state and public institutions, we are still a long way to go.
We still have some bureaucrats in Government who trust hard copies and are afraid of soft copies.
They would rather have a 100-page report printed for distribution to thousands of people, some who do not even bother reading them, than just uploading them online.
The United Nations defines e-government as the employment of the Internet and the world-wide-web for delivering government information and services to the citizens.
Experts further opine that e-government consists of digital interactions between a citizen and her government, between governments and other government agencies, between government and businesses and between government and citizens.
Here, we see that e-government can actually strengthen the social contract.
Zimbabwe is sadly still ranked lowly in terms of e-government progress.
The last E-Government Survey conducted by the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) in 2014 established that Zimbabwe is ranked number 126 out of 193 on the E-Government Development Index (EGDI).
The country’s EGDI is at 0,3585 against a world average of 0,4712.
We are also still lowly ranked in the top countries in online service delivery, with an Online Service Index of 0,3071.
UNPAN says countries that are lowly ranked can improve by having clear strategies, smart investment in ICT infrastructure, continued investment in education and radical transformation in offering online public services.
For Zimbabwe, we have the perfect conditions to roll out a successful e-government programme that can benefit everyone.
The country has the highest literacy rate in Africa at 92 percent.
The mobile penetration rate also increased in the first quarter of the year to 96,5 percent, while the Internet penetration rate increased to 50 percent.
Zimbabwe now has an active Internet subscription of 6,7 million.
These statistics guarantee a substantial market for e-government services in the country.
It is time we realise e-government is playing a huge role in ensuring world countries engage each other.
There are many people who want to know more about Zimbabwe but have had to rely on pseudo news websites that give false information about the country.
If our Government departments remain as laggards to technology in this day and age, then there is more to lose.
It will continue to be judged on the basis of negative perceptions that might be far removed from reality.
As Zimbabwe targets to lure more foreign investment, there is need to build ICT infrastructure that supports dynamic e-government programmes in the interest of all stakeholders.
Our Government ministries and departments must be given deadlines to establish interactive and efficient websites that are constantly updated with latest content.
The content is already there, which is a good starting point.
There should be no financial excuse here, as these departments usually place full page adverts every now and then in the newspapers.
The money they use to place one advert in the print media will be enough to hire professional services to build a good website.
Workers in Government also need to be trained on how to update websites and to use other ICT innovations.
Otherwise, why have, for example, a Ministry of Lands website which does not tell me how many people have benefited from the land reform programme so far?
Why should I physically visit that ministry and be subjected to the bureaucracy that normally comes with such places, just to obtain that kind of information?
How can citizens have control over the Government that they voted into power if they don’t have such vital information?
But I should commend other agencies such as the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe for keeping updated websites where you can find timely and useful information.
Someone in Chiredzi can easily download the latest copy of the Hansard from the Parliament website and see what their legislator is saying in the House and do not need to worry about how to get a hard copy.
A local manufacturer can also download the Monetary Policy from the RBZ website immediately after it is announced.
That way, they can get to read about the bond notes export incentive on their own, without having to rely on sensationalized interpretations.
An importer in the United Arab Emirates can also download the latest Mid Term Fiscal Policy Review from the Treasury website and see how they can take advantage of the temporary ban on export duty on raw hides by Zimbabwe to increase their import orders.
There are many people who are professionally or personally interested in the work or workings of Government.
Government departments should optimise on e-government to establish highly efficient websites which can be utilized for communication, publishing, marketing and performing other important national transactions.
A website is a cheaper and very cost effective way of exchanging information. It can actually reduce the number of physical inquiries that ministry staff deal with, as people can exhaust all their questions by just visiting the website.
Websites also preserves resources – paper, ink, toner cartridges. It also fosters a sustainable and cleaner environment.
Government ministries and agencies should engage the public through social media, and not confine themselves to hotel meetings where only a handful of people attend.
If given adequate investment, e-government can play a wonderful role in fostering transparency, reducing corruption and enhancing relations amongst Zimbabwe’s stakeholders.
Later folks!
