Information Communication Technology Minister Tatenda Mavetera has hailed the deployment of Starlink internet kits to Zimbabwe’s rural district councils as a major step in bridging the digital divide—but critics say the move reeks of misplaced priorities in a country where basic public services are in shambles.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Mavetera announced that her ministry had distributed both computers and Starlink kits to all rural local authorities, claiming it was part of a broader push toward nationwide digital inclusion.
“As we journey towards our digital transformation agenda of empowering every corner through ICT services in Zimbabwe, our Ministry deployed firstly computers and secondly Starlink kits to all our Rural District Councils and local authorities,” she said.
She went on to declare that “no village should be left offline,” portraying the rollout as a key milestone toward achieving the government’s Vision 2030 agenda.
But for communities that still lack electricity, healthcare facilities, qualified teachers, and even clean drinking water, the introduction of satellite internet is being met with more confusion than celebration.
Critics argue that flashy technology projects mean little in rural councils where dilapidated clinics operate without nurses, schools have no textbooks or toilets, and entire wards go for weeks without power.
“Starlink kits will bridge connectivity gaps in our rural district councils,” Mavetera insisted, yet offered no plan for how these kits will function in areas with no power or trained personnel to manage them.
To make matters worse, Starlink itself has operated in a legal grey area in Zimbabwe. The government previously warned against the use of the Elon Musk-owned satellite service, and there has been no official statement on the current legal framework or procurement process behind this sudden nationwide rollout.
In an apparent effort to frame the initiative as a broader reform drive, Mavetera also pointed to a sensitisation workshop conducted by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. The workshop included the launch of aMinimum Service Delivery Standards Dashboard, a digital tool meant to track real-time government performance.
However, many observers view the dashboard as yet another symbolic gesture with little bearing on the daily struggles faced by rural populations.
Data dashboards, they say, won’t patch potholes, deliver medication, or fix broken boreholes.
Source: Zimeye
