By Tinashe Sambiri

BULAWAYO — Amid a deepening economic and connectivity crisis, Information Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Tatenda Mavetera’s remarks at the Digital Economy Conference during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) on Thursday were met with growing public skepticism.

Speaking at the 2nd edition of the conference, Mavetera praised the government’s digital efforts, highlighting that “as of today there are 120 5G base stations across the country,” and expressing hope to increase that number soon. “With strong connectivity comes more benefits in terms of innovation, efficiency and productivity,” she declared.

However, critics argue her statements are woefully out of sync with the daily reality faced by millions of Zimbabweans, where basic internet access remains patchy, costly, and unreliable—especially in rural areas.

While Mavetera emphasized that Zimbabwe is “committed to be at par with other progressive nations,” the country still struggles with persistent electricity shortages, erratic network coverage, and one of the highest data tariffs in the region. These issues continue to hamper access to digital services for ordinary citizens and small businesses.

“Digitilization is here for the betterment of our nation,” Mavetera stated, seemingly ignoring the glaring infrastructural deficits and widespread poverty that make digital participation a privilege for the few rather than a national reality.

Her call for students to “take innovation and entrepreneurship seriously” rings hollow in a context where many learners lack access to computers, let alone stable internet. “The academia weighed in on the issue of talent identification,” she said, but the country’s underfunded education system offers little support for meaningful innovation on the ground.

Analysts warn that without addressing the broader economic dysfunction and social inequality, digital transformation efforts risk becoming little more than empty rhetoric. While the Ministry celebrates tech milestones, the public is left asking: who really benefits from this digital economy?

In a country where economic hardship has pushed millions into informal work and basic services are out of reach, the promise of 5G means little without the foundation of access, affordability, and inclusion.