Can shoes spread the COVID-19 virus? The likelihood of COVID-19 being spread on shoes and infecting individuals is very low. As a precautionary measure, particularly in homes where infants and small children crawl or play on floors, consider leaving your shoes at the entrance of your home. This will help prevent contact with dirt or…
The Paris Agreement effectively came into force in 2020, replacing the Kyoto Protocol which has lapsed. Now the COVID-19 is dampening the prospects of countries to update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and implement their commitments to reduce and limit greenhouse gas emissions. Zimbabwe has communicated an NDC that seeks to reduce by 33 percent…
Rising costs as a result of high inflation and a depreciating local currency are threatening the viability of telecommunication companies (telcos) as margins continue to be squeezed, putting the entire industry at risk. This is according to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) in its sector performance report for the first quarter…
By Bernard Marr As countries prepare to wind down social distancing efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19, there are hopes that technology will come to our aid, where a medical solution has so far eluded us. Contact tracing apps are designed to automate the process of tracking those who are likely to have been…
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) has said the performance of the sector continues to be dependent on the economic environment. In his statement on the sector performance report for the first quarter of 2020, Dr. Gift Machengete, the POTRAZ Director-General said the economic environment impacts the sector through service demand and consumption levels,…
Ecocash’s online self-service portal allows its agents, merchants, billers, bulk payers, and payroll channel partners to submit their applications online without the need to physically visit Econet shops or offices to be served. The self-service portal, which is open to existing and prospective channel partners, allows them to register on an online portal, submit their…
Cassava Edutech has launched the Akello E-library, an online library platform offering hundreds of school curriculum books that are set to strengthen Zimbabwe’s education sector by providing learners, students and teachers with easy access to a wide variety of Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) prescribed text books in schools. “We are introducing the Akello E-Library…
By Bernard Marr One thing that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 did for all of us was to push us outside comfort zones and to adapt to new ways of working and living no matter how resistant we might be. From enabling telecommuting for workers who hadn’t done so prior to tackling video conferencing, we expanded…
By Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD Director of The Medical Futurist Institute (Keynote Speaker, Author & Futurist) It’s been enough for a bit, isn’t it? For three months now, there has been little space in the world for any other kind of news. That is, news without the word ‘coronavirus’. But there was innovation, there is excitement…
UNICEF, in partnership with Econet Wireless and ZiFM Stereo is launching The Internet of Good Things (IoGT) through a virtual live music show featuring Jah Prayzah, Gemma Griffiths, Tamy Moyo, Long John, Nutty O and Asaph. The event will be aired live on ZiFM Radio as well as streamed through ZiFM, UNICEF Zimbabwe and Econet Wireless Facebook…
By Dr. Jenfan Muswere The importance of ICTs during the COVID – 19 period cannot be overstated given that, due to lockdown restrictions, most people have had to work from home using e – platforms while scholars and pupils have had to engage in e-learning and health institutions have had to rely on e-health for…
The Financial Securities Exchange, a member of the Escrow Group a leading pan African fintech company, has been in discussions with the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) to facilitate the integration of the practical securities trading and capital raising platforms that FINSEC offers with the academic theory that is taught at the institution. These discussions…
By Bernard Marr For data to be useful to humans, we have to be able to visualize it in a way that lets us understand the story it tells, and communicate it to others. Data visualization tools are constantly evolving to offer more powerful features while improving accessibility and user-friendliness. With an increasing number of job…
Vaya Africa, a Mauritius-registered Transportation as a Service (TaaS) company, has launched an electric vehicle service in Zimbabwe as part of the company’s rollout strategy across Africa. “We are excited to launch the ‘VAYA Electric’ vehicle today as we start our journey of deploying innovative ways of harnessing clean, renewable energy to provide safe and…
Diversified digital services group Cassava Smartech has launched Akello Digital Classroom, a platform that offers Zimbabwean students, from Primary level to High School, access to online Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) curriculum lessons for all subjects. Cassava Smartech announced that all interested Zimbabwean students will have free access to live online lessons for the next…
African and global philanthropists have teamed up to help African nations secure urgently needed ventilators, breathing support devices and other medical equipment, in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Strive Masiyiwa, co-founder of Higherlife Foundation, who has recently been appointed as an African Union Special Envoy to mobilise the private sector response to COVID-19, is…
Huawei Enterprise Business Group (EBG) (https://e.huawei.com/) will host the Huawei Southern Africa FSI Summit online 2020 (https://bit.ly/2XwKFL0) on May 29th, from 10.00am – 12.00pm, with the theme of “Accelerating Digital Transformation, Enable Business Growth Again”. The online summit will include presentations from Chen Lei, President of Huawei Southern Africa Region, and Chen Kun Te, Huawei Chief Digital…
Pan-African businessman and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa has, through his ‘Re-Imagine Rural’ initiative, completed a 100KW solar power project at Ndolwane in Bulilimamangwe district near Zimbabwe’s border town of Plumtree, in the country’s south western province of Matabeleland South. Breaking the news on his popular Facebook blog, Masiyiwa wrote: There is a place in rural Zimbabwe…
A new weather forecasting system in Africa allows meteorologists to track approaching storms in real time, potentially saving lives from climate-related disasters, scientists said on Monday. The technology is already used in developed countries but was not available until recently in most of sub-Saharan Africa, according to scientists behind the project at the University of…
Africa Data Centres’ investment reflects significant confidence in South Africa and further consolidates Africa Data Centres’ position as the continent’s leading data centre and co-location provider JOHANNESBURG, May 18 – Africa Data Centres, part of the Liquid Telecom Group, has completed the acquisition of a state-of-the-art Tier IV data centre in Johannesburg from Standard Bank,…
Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Postal and courier Services, Jenfan Muswere has paid tribute to the important role ICTs play in keeping the world on track towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) and coping with the coronavirus pandemic. He made the remarks today (17 May 2020) on the celebration of the World Telecommunication and Information…
China Mobile International, Facebook (www.Facebook.com), MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC announced today that they will partner to build 2Africa, which will be the most comprehensive subsea cable to serve the African continent and Middle East region. The parties have appointed Alcatel Submarine Networks (“ASN”) to build the cable in a fully…
By Bernard Marr We have never lived in a world of faster and more wide-reaching technology innovations. Our jobs, businesses, and how we operate as societies are being transformed by technology, and the current global pandemic is only fast-tracking the digital transformation. With this post, I want to delve into the top 10 tech trends that…
Cassava Fintech International (CFI), a subsidiary of Econet Global, today released an enhanced voice and video conferencing service that allows up to 20 people on one call. The service, branded Sasai TeamTalk, was unveiled as a promotional offer of FREE Sasai Conference calling, between 8 am and 5 pm every Sunday until the end of…
Ecobank Group (www.Ecobank.com), the pan-African Bank, is leveraging its distribution and partner networks to raise awareness of literacy apps in the Google Play Store to support the education of children who are at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 continues to affect everyone’s lives, Ecobank is committed to protecting the health, safety and…
The Ministry of Health and Child Care and UNICEF have made the Official COVID-19 Information Hub available through SMS free for Econet Users. With the support of Econet, access to the Information Hub is available by sending an SMS from any mobile phone. Simply text the word “Hi” to the number 2019. Econet has over…
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has scoffed at theories linking the Fifth Generation cellular mobile technologies (5G) to the spread of COVID-19. In doing so, POTRAZ joins the rest of the world in mourning thousands of lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic and offers its most sincere condolences to families that…
The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat and the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have signed a Joint Statement and Action Plan on ensuring continuity of learning in the context of COVID-19. In a Joint Statement, signed by the Executive Secretary of SADC, Her Excellence Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax and the Regional…
Climate change and development expert Richard Munang speaks about agriculture, Africa and coronavirus pandemic. Africa’s youthful population is considered its biggest asset. Is the continent fully utilising this asset? Studies on wealth indicate that a skilled person is 15 times more productive than natural resources. Africa needs to change its mindset and prioritise efforts that selflessly…
OnePlus highlighted a distribution deal with Verizon as a key win for the 8-series, a freshly-unveiled 5G smartphone range which will spearhead a previously-outlined goal to boost its presence in the next-generation technology. During a launch event for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, Pete Lau, OnePlus co-founder and CEO, called the arrangement “one of the most…
By Bernard Marr Criminals don’t mind if they kick us when we’re down. And that’s precisely what we’ve seen them do as COVID-19 has altered the way we work and live. Organisations of all sizes, security levels, and missions have been forced to allow employees to work from home to keep business operating on some…
By Stefan Nalletamby As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact globally, the African continent, while less affected, is preparing to undergo its own severe social and economic crisis. As of April 7, over 10,000 cases have been reported across 52 countries in Africa (less than 1% of cases globally). Yet despite the slow onset, Africa’s…
Cassava HealthTech has launched the Maisha Medik digital health platform that will be accessible through a mobile application (App) that is set to enhance Zimbabwe’s healthcare delivery sector. Cassava HealthTech, a subsidiary of Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed fintech and digital services giant Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe, operates Maisha Health, MARS and Steward Health. The Maisha Medik digital…
Immediate or emergency medical care is often a result of high doses of illicit substances. Newbies or even experienced users, for that matter, make mistakes of taking heroic or moderate doses of recreational drugs like mushrooms and LSD/Acid. That’s why it is imperative to understand the concept of Micro dosing, as it helps in keeping…
By George Manyaya Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have changed the face of communication worldwide. The fast-changing pace of digital transformation has brought about access to a highly diversified range of technologies and services. Globally, the fixed and mobile telecommunications sector has been growing exponentially over the years, leading scholars to argue that we now live…
Zimbabwe telecoms giant, philanthropist, and businessman Strive Masiyiwa has injected lifeblood into the fight against coronavirus by donating 45 Ventilator Intensive care units for use in combating the pandemic. The donation will come through the HigherLife Foundation that has been instrumental in bailing Zimbabwe’s educational and health sectors over the years. Below, Spiked Online Media…
Pathogenic fungi pose a huge and growing threat to global food security. Currently, we protect our crops against fungal disease by spraying them with anti-fungal chemistries, also known as fungicides. However, the growing threat of microbial resistance against these chemistries requires continuous development of new fungicides. A consortium of researchers from the University of Exeter,…
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has urged stakeholders to utilise existing technologies to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The call by POTRAZ Director-General, Dr. Gift Machengete follows the pronouncement of the 21-day lockdown directive to begin on Monday 30 March 2020 announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Considering the essential nature…
By Yanitsa Boyadzhieva The World Health Organisation (WHO) conceded technology played an important role in tackling Covid-19 (coronavirus), but emphasised privacy and security regulations must not be circumvented when gathering key information as part of the efforts. At a press conference dedicated to the pandemic held on 25 March, Michael Ryan, executive director of the…
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) advised its stakeholders that following the ban on all public gatherings and the social distance measures being broadly implemented owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Director General’s Annual and Quarterly Sector Performance Press Conferences could not be held until further notice. Accordingly, the Authority presented…
Satellite navigation is at the heart of ride-hailing services across the world and Vaya Africa, an on-demand mobile and web application that focuses on moving goods and people from one point to another in Zimbabwe so as to broaden its reach by launching a new navigation system in addition to the traditional Google maps. Since…
By Anyway Yotamu In an effort to combat the spread of coronavirus, mobile telephony operators heeded the government’s call by coming up together towards promoting e-health by donating equipment in Harare on Monday the 23rd of March 2020. The equipment, which is meant to operationalise the national emergency response centre include computers, servers, mobile handsets,…
Prominent traditional healer, Sekuru Banda has said it is critical to rope in indigenous knowledge systems in the fight against coronavirus. The cultural guru’s comments come in the wake of myths from different schools of thought concerning the pandemic. He was speaking at a conference on indigenous knowledge management held in Harare yesterday to…
By Joyce Mukucha The Boost Fellowship, Action 24, and SNV with the support of international development partners, UNICEF Zimbabwe and the Swedish Development International Agency have been implementing the green innovations aimed at presenting unique opportunities for youths to address the adverse challenges of climate change. The youth-focused projects are being implemented throughout the country…
By Bernard Marr Since the first report of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, it has spread to at least 100 other countries. As China initiated its response to the virus, it leaned on its strong technology sector and specifically artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and technology to track and fight the pandemic while tech leaders, including Alibaba,…
