IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Smart Zambia National Coordinator, Martine Mtonga has disclosed that over 100 local authorities will be added to the e-governance system by the end of this year.

Dr Mtonga said the move is meant to enhance revenue collection for local authorities. And Dr Mtongasaid the e-governance system will help in efficiency and transparent service delivery for local authorities.

E-Government division national coordinator Dr Martine Mtonga says 11,000 government workers have not yet been tracked on e-payslip.

Dr Mtonga urged Eastern Province permanent secretary Chanda Kasolo to alert administration officers in all the districts that government workers who would not be on the e-pay slip would receive their last pay this December.

In so doing, the much needed food security in the country would be secured.

Communications Permanent Secretary Dominc Sichinga said the plan to decentralise was one of the techniques the Government wanted to employ in the agricultural sector in order to maximise its potential.

Cabinet has approved the introduction of a bill in the next sitting of parliament that is aimed at combating violations of personal privacy that may be generated by personal collection, processing, transmission, storage and use of information.

According to a statement released to the media by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting services, huge amounts of personal data generated and collected can be used as inputs in developing countries’ pursuit to achieve their national visions and consequently, attainment of their socio-economic transformation.

Early this year, the Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska was shocked to learn that a health institution in Northern Province was said to have employed 44 workers who later turned out to be ghost workers.

Chamisa, who President Robert Mugabe, admitted was "his youngest brain box" last year, has repeatedly scolded government, telling it that the only way forward was the "E-Government Way" using the popular cyber space highway.

Trenches are now being dug all over Harare by telecommunication firms to try and impress the minister. However, a top level document in our possession, shows that the broke government needs a grand total of US$82,5 million to complete the ambitious project.

Government says the cost of processing salaries in the civil service has reduced to zero from 72 million Kwacha following the introduction of electronic pay slips.

Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet E-government division, Martin Mtonga disclosed this in Mongu when he held a meeting with District Commissioners and Heads of Government Departments.

Now that the statistical data portals, an initiative of the African Development Bank (AfDB), have been rolled out, Zambia should consider complementing them with open data platforms.

ZAMBIA’S vision for information communications technology (ICT) is “A Zambia transformed into information and knowledge based society supported by increased access to ICTs by all citizens by 2030”.

However, achieving this vision will require effective and efficient high-level coordination of ICT interventions across all sectors of the economy.

Mr Chenda said this during the launch of the Direct Debit and Credit Clearing (DDACC) between Zanaco Bank and the Lusaka City Council (LCC) in Lusaka yesterday.

N THE efforts to modernise government or organisation processes and as a response to citizens’ need to address the information gap, bad governance, transparency, accountability and ethical issues, it is inevitable to adopt e-governance.

The emergence of information and communications technology (ICT) has provided means for faster and better communication, efficient storage, retrieval and processing of data and exchange and utilisation of information by individuals, groups, businesses, organisations and governments.

Zambia is on the right path in her e-government program, says the country’s ambassador to Germany Anthony Mukwita. Ambassador Mukwita says Germany and many countries in Europe are already reaping the benefits of efficient governments and the reduction of costs in the running of government machinery.

“Most transactions here are now electronic and may be conducted from the mobile devise you carry in your hands resulting in lower transaction costs and saving on time”, says ambassador Mukwita.

What might have started as a mere wish has now become a horse, ready for the ride.

President Lungu has spoken about it, Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska has ‘preached’ it without tiring.

Zambia is migrating to a smart society; beginning with a simpler and cheaper paperless government system.

E-Government division national coordinator Dr Martine Mtonga says the implementation of e-government has intensified security as well as reduced the cost of holding cabinet meetings.

When he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province permanent secretary Chanda Kasolo yesterday, Dr Mtonga said all Cabinet ministers have been trained in e-government.

And Dr Msiska has directed that civil servants and employees of public institutions have official functioning email addresses by October 1.

He stated in a circular sent to senior controlling officers and parastatal heads that the government had hired the state-owned telecommunication company to provide Internet services for the provision of e-government services.

When President Edgar Lungu addressed the second session of the 12th National Assembly on September 15, 2017, he emphasised the important role information and communications technology (ICT) plays in Zambia’s socio-economic development.

In a nutshell, it is ICT that has brought about electronic governance or e-governance.

The Private Sector Development Reform Programme (PSDRP) partnered with Zampost to develop an integrated Government self-service kiosk in selected districts where the private and public sector will be accessing government services online.

If you have been driving around with an unpaid traffic bill, you may soon find yourself without water and electricity… until that little matter in the glove compartment is attended to.

A new system that intersects all payments that government intends to deploy soon could stop people with unpaid traffic charges from paying for utility bills.

The intersecting payment system will be rolled out through the e-governance programme to promote effectiveness and accountability.

Deputy Minister of Health Christopher Mulenga said adopting new methodologies and approaches to manage provisions of health services is imperative to the growth of the health sector.

Mr Mulenga said the ministry is currently reviewing how best the health services delivery can be done through electronic and mobile technologies.

Officiating at the 2011 ICT (Information, Communication Technology) conference at the Copperbelt University, Lombanya said the government was now preparing to take a draft bill to Parliament to regulate all ICT professionals in order to maintain professionalism as well as for the government to know the ICT skills available in the country for better planning.

“A number of ICT projects are mostly being given to outsiders because government is finding it difficult to know the professional ICT skills of its citizens.