Category: Local News
2021: Year in review, major tech news highlights
Another one bites the dust, well almost. We are counting down the hours till we bid 2021 adieu. Goodbye and good riddance methinks. 2021 was the sequel to 2020 we did not want but got nonetheless. The year may have been a downer but like all dark clouds, silver linings can be found. Let’s look […]
e-passports: govt “breaks” CBZ monopoly, plus expiration date for old passports
Update 10/01/2022: First Capital Bank reached out and said that the report by NewsDay was incorrect. First Capital was not part of e-passport application fees process before and after the Statutory Instrument First Capital Bank has been anointed by the government as the second preferred bank, along with CBZ Holdings, that anyone looking to get […]
US$30 million lost to Ponzi schemes this year, here’s how you can spot these scammers
Tough times are indeed a rich ground for scammers… Reportedly 10,000 Zimbabweans lost an estimated US$30 million to Ponzi Schemes this year. “At least 10,000 complainants reportedly lost over US$30 million between them. We have handled some 892 such cases involving thousands of complainants. The scammers quickly disappear after swindling the unsuspecting investors. Millions of […]
ZimStat to test out paperless census in preparation for April 2022
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) is preparing for the 2022 national population and housing census by running a trial between November 18th and the 27th. News of this pilot run was announced by ZimStat Director-General, Taguma Mahonde at an event held in Kwekwe yesterday. Pilot census is meant to position us for the 2022 […]
Borrow money for bus fare: the govt’s master plan to get teachers in classes
Never mind that there is a global pandemic and that teachers have been constantly fighting the poverty line for years. Put aside that opening schools under these pressures has irrevocably changed lives for students and their teachers and proceed to ask the latter to borrow money to make it to their poorly-paying job. Teachers who […]
Digital national document registry rollout set for December
The Civil Registry Department’s digitisation (passports, national ID, birth certificates etc) rollout is set for December according to Minister for Home Affairs, Kazembe Kazembe. The system which was announced in May will build a digital biometric database for Zimbabweans to access national documents. “The rollout is in December. Meanwhile, we will continue to do what […]
Pensioners will only get benefits if they undergo biometric registration
The Registrar General’s Office has been instructed to capture the biometric data of pensioners according to a report by New Zimbabwe. This initiative was recommended by the Public Services Commission of Zimbabwe (PSC) and is aimed at fighting corruption in the pension system. This announcement is hardly surprising because the government has for some time […]
ZESA to compensate for damages caused by power surges
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) will now compensate customers who suffer damages from power surges. The news comes by way of Minister for Energy Zhemu Soda, who in an interview with The Sunday Mail Business said the following: “There is an insurance policy to cover for such losses and a process of validation will […]
Opportunities presented by Zimbabwe’s rollout of a National Electronic Health Record system
Since February 2015, the Ministry of Health and Child Care with help of funding partners has been designing, developing, and testing an electronic health record (EHR) system, named “Impilo”. This is meant to reduce the current burden of paper data collection for health workers and ultimately improve the quality of care in public health facilities. […]
Businesses to close by 15:30hrs as Zim lockdown goes to level 4
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has this evening announced that the country is going back to Level 4 lockdown amid the increase in new COVID-19 cases. His address at State House is as follows: Fellow Zimbabweans, Following a recent surge in Covid-19 cases, and subsequent to the localised lockdown measures introduced in places such as Kwekwe, Karoi, […]
ICT Minister opens Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) 2021 conference
Minister for ICT, Postal and Courier Services Dr Jenfan Muswere yesterday opened the Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) Plenipotentiary Conference which Zimbabwe is hosting at the Kingdom Hotel in Victoria Falls. Here is the Minister’s opening address: It is my singular honour and pleasure to officiate at this momentous occasion, the meeting of the 2021 […]
ZIMRA: PAYE, 2% Tax & Withholding Taxes due 10 June 2021
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has in a statement notified all that PAYE (Pay As You Earn), IMTT (2% Tax) and Withholding Taxes for May 2021 are due on the 10th of June 2021. ZIMRA’s Statement reads as follows: The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) hereby reminds all its valued clients that the following returns and […]
ZIMRA names fraudster extorting money while posing as an official
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has warned the public of a fraudster who is extorting money from people while purporting to be a ZIMRA official. ZIMRA’s statement reads as follows: PUBLIC NOTICE: FRAUDUSTER POSING AS A ZIMRA OFFICIAL ON THE LOOSE The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) wishes to advise its valued clients, members of staff […]
City of Harare’s hilarious and clueless Twitter storm
The City of Harare earlier this week went on a bit of a rant on Twitter where it issued a number of orders like dog licences, civilians not being allowed to control traffic at intersections with dead signal lights and many more. We couldn’t resist adding our own commentary on it after seeing some of […]
Two Zimbabweans feature on Forbes’ 30 under 30 for 2021
Forbes Africa released its list for its 30 under 30. This is the seventh running of the list and it is there to recognise entrepreneurs, athletes, artists and influential people on the continent. And as you may have already guessed this year’s listing was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and how it disrupted a […]
ZIMRA extends grace period for the ban on second-hand cars
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce and ZIMRA have released a joint statement extending the transitional period for the importation of second-hand cars that are over 10 years old. PRESS STATEMENT BY MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE ON EXTENSION OF ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENT ON MOTOR VEHICLE IMPORTATION UNDER SI 89 OF 2021 1. Following the […]
Cassava partners with Tony Blair Institute to help Africa open borders
Ease of international travel…
Govt looks to have solved one problem with the online passport application system
1 down, a few more to go…
Here’s how you can help digital inclusion for people with disabilities in Zimbabwe
Inclusive Access Zimbabwe is calling for donations of any devices to help digital inclusion for people with disabilities in Zimbabwe
Govt to spend an additional US$2 mil on drones for border patrol
Unamanned Aerial Systems vs Smugglers
Govt to roll out ID-linked COVID-19 passports to curb fake certificates
It’s coming with some sturdy security measures.
Full Text: Ministry for ICT e-learning strategy
E-learning’s strategy going forward from an ICT perspective.
VP Mohadi leaks: the tech behind call hacking, recording & voice cloning
We were curious about the tech that may have been behind now-former vice president Kembo Mohadi’s scandal and leaks