PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday said there was need to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas.
NUNURAI JENA Own Correspondent
Speaking at Murombedzi growth point during the launch of the Community Information Centre initiative, Mugabe said the major problem facing rural communities was limited access to relevant and current information about health, education, economy, transport and agriculture.
“The overall aim in establishing these community information centres is to achieve equity of access to information thereby bridge the digital information divide between the urban and rural communities,” he said.
“In a bid to ensure equitable access to information the then Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology partnered with ZIMPOST in the establishment of community information centres throughout the country.”
Mugabe said without information, rural communities were hindered from fully participating in national development.
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He said information could play an important role in disaster management in cases of emergencies including disease outbreaks, drought spells and pest invasions.
But Mugabe urged the country to guard against cyber threats and cyber-crime that seek to destabilise the local culture and wellbeing.
He said youths should be protected from accessing harmful sites.
More than 100 local people have been trained at Murombedzi Community Information Centre.