Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe, has appointed Tatenda Mavetera as the new Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Postal and Courier Services during his second term in office.
In her new role, Mavetera will build on the initiatives of her predecessor to expedite the growth of the ICT and postal sectors, supporting Zimbabwe's digital transformation. This will involve finding solutions to various sector challenges, including navigating an inflationary environment, addressing credit availability, coping with reduced consumer spending and managing foreign currency shortages.
A recent report from the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has recommended that the government give priority to the sector in terms of public expenditure, resource allocation and foreign exchange management.
Additionally, the new minister will implement measures to introduce more competition and invigorate the national telecommunications market. The sector is currently dominated by Econet Wireless, which commands about 70% of the market’s mobile telephone subscriber base. Lastly, efforts will be made to reduce the costs of telecom services and expand their accessibility to the entire population.
