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CHAPTER 13
The State of Internet Technology in Zambia (a media perspective)
Introduction
203
to discuss issues and ideas (Habermas, 1989), project. According to Robinson (1996: 193)
as it gives users a space or forum to freely the very first recorded message through this
express themselves and engage in meaningful system was sent to the Baobab, an African
interaction and debate necessary for the interests network based in Washington, D.C.
progression of society. in the United States, on 30 September 1991”
History of the Internet in Zambia This facility, then called UNZANET, was a
Fidonet system using dial-up telephone lines
Zambia became the fifth country in Africa, to transmit messages via dedicated host
the first in the entire Sub-Saharan Africa, computers. Under a special agreement with
aside from South Africa, to have full access Rhodes University in South Africa, UNZA
to the Internet on 22 November 1994. was provided a link to the Internet via thrice-
According to Robinson (1996: 191), this daily, computer-to-computer telephone calls,
achievement followed three years of an arrangement that went on from 1991 to
development of an electronic mail network 1994 when full access was achieved (ibid.,
serving non-commercial interests within the 194).
country at the University of Zambia (UNZA).
At the time, the level of computer skills The original users of UNZANET were the
among the population was dismally low and schools and departments of the
training in Computer Science existed only at University but its use increased within a short
a lower level. period to include NGOs, health institutions,
and aid or development agencies. According
In 1991 the Computer Centre at the to Robinson (ibid.), one of the reasons for the
University of Zambia received a rapid growth of UNZANET was the fact that
microcomputer and modem to provide the it was provided as a free service. At this time,
"host" of the first University email system all users had to cover was the cost of
from the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC)-funded ESANET
204
local calls into the UNZANET. Naturally, With time, large volumes of messages
this was bound to be short-lived. As characterized the system and more and more
Robinson (ibid., 195) notes: data was being demanded for by users. This
“…a free service-provided through the brought about the need for a larger capacity
generosity of others-could not be and a faster link that was also going to be
sustainable. The Computer Centre of the managed in a sustainable manner.
University, with its responsibilities to
the University administration, was not in In 1993, a proposal for funding to enable
a position to sell and maintain a UNZA to have direct link to the internet was
commercial service to customers from made to various international funding
outside of the University, nor to pay the organisations. At the start of 1994, the
salaries of the high quality staff that such University established a private campus-
a service would require.”
based company called ZAMNET
Communication Systems Limited whose staff and procedures, and market the Internet
purpose was to put in place the connection to service so that it would be fully self-
the Internet and to sell access to the services sustaining after one year of operation, and
that the internet provides. The ZAMNET after the World Bank funding had run out
project managed to receive 80 percent (ibid., 196 - 197).
funding from the World Bank. And so
ZAMNET was fully operational from ZAMNET continued to provide the
February 1994 with the aim of distributing important and much needed service to all
Internet services to users throughout Zambia sectors
using a variety of methods and with two main of Zambian society and became successful in
objectives: firstly, to put in place the achieving its objectives. By January 1996,
hardware and technical support necessary to ZAMNET had grown to accommodate 417
provide a reliable full Internet service, and interactive accounts and these accounts
secondly, to put in place the administrative generated 9,558 connections (ibid., 214).
205
Internet Regulatory Regime in Zambia policy also seeks to guide the country’s goal
of being transformed into information and
Today, the ICT sector is governed within the knowledge based society. According to the
context of the National Information and document, the ICT sector is represented by a
Communication Technology (ICT) Policy four-tier system that consists of
launched in March 2007. It is the guiding policymaking, legal and regulatory
document for ICT development in Zambia. framework, operators and consumers.
The policy sees ICTs, such as internet
technology, as “an enabler to build an a. Policy Making: this is not only seen
information centered society where everyone as an important component in shaping
can create, access, utilize and share the industry, but as a foundation for
information and knowledge leading to its development, and should involve
greater productivity, greater competitiveness various sectors but with direction
and sustainable economic growth, a from the Communications ministry.
precondition for poverty reduction” (GRZ, b. Legal and regulatory framework:
2006: 1). The document also emphasizes on This includes an array of institutions
the ability for ICTs to be used as an effective such as the Ministry of Justice, the
tool in enhancing good governance. Ministry of Communications
parliament, the sector regulator
The National ICT policy offers a regulatory ZICTA.
framework that seeks to harmonise the c. Operators: these include operators in
contribution of ICTs to national development telecommunications services such as
through creation of an innovative market and fixed telephony or mobile cellular
responsive competitive ICT sector. The providers; in information
206
technology services such office Other factors include: the inadequate
automation and networking solutions; supporting infrastructure development such
postal services including courier as roads, telecommunications, and electric
services; and broadcasting services power to increase the demand for ICT
where technological and market shifts services; as well as the poor coordination of
have made significant changes to the the ICT sector resulting in the inability to
traditional understanding of attract adequate domestic and foreign direct
broadcasting. investment. Furthermore, the lack of a
d. Consumers: these are considered to coordinated industry voice on business
an integral part of the sector and matters affecting the sector; and limited
include end users, dealers in regulatory powers amidst convergence of
consumer electronics, consumer services. Information Technology is not
associations and corporate customers, regulated despite forming a key component
as well. of the ICT sector.
Some of the key factors affecting the growth The National ICT policy was developed
of a vibrant private sector-driven ICT sector, through a consultative process that started in
as noted in the policy, include: (i) industry 2003 and was completed in 2005 by the
players considering the current investment technical committee that was appointed by
regime (incentives and taxes) to be the then Ministry of Communications and
unattractive for recapitalisation and new Transport. However, the implementation of
investments in telecommunications, this policy has lagged “significantly behind
broadcasting and Information Technology market expectations” argues Habeenzu
subs-sectors; (ii) lack of access to affordable (ibid.) due to factors that include: the lack of
capital among Zambian entrepreneurs in the institutional leadership and capacity in the
ICT industry; especially start-up capital for Ministry of Communications; the lack of
SMEs in the sector; and (iii) high import skilled
tariffs and taxes imposed on ICT products
and services are.
207
human resources to spearhead the Radio Communications Act (1994). The Act
implementation process; and the lack of provides for the regulation of the Information
coordination in the planning and budgeting and Communication Technology sector as
process and hence lack of funding to well as provides mechanisms of facilitating
implement programmes. access to Information and Communication
Technologies by all Zambians. The ICT Act
The Information and Communication created Zambia Information and
Technologies Act (2009) Communication Technology Authority
(ZICTA) as an Economic Regulator with
The Information and Communication power to regulate tariffs for "dominant"
Technologies (ICTs) of 2009 repealed the players and agreements on interconnections.
Telecommunications Act (1994) and the
The Act further empowers ZICTA in or for the provision of electronic
protecting the rights and interests of communications services has also been
consumers, in regulating the provision of articulated in the Act and is also a mandate
electronic communication services and for the Authority.
products, and in monitoring the performance
of the sector, including the levels of In all, the licensing regime in Zambia
investment and the availability, quality, cost primarily a converged one (horizontal or
and standards of the electronic unified or multi‐service). According to Lewis
communication services. ZICTA is further and Abrahams (2013: 324), the regime
tasked to promote and facilitate the provision, distinguishes between infrastructure and
in urban and rural areas, of such information services at the top level, but with some
and electronic communication services that vertical categorisation at a lower level.
meets all reasonable demand. Licensing to
operate electronic communications networks
208
211
212
Internet and the Media in Zambia In a study to investigate the level of use,
scope and impact of the internet on
This use of the internet by journalists in their journalism in Zambia and to help gain a
work is seen to have numerous potential knowledge base on the available internet
benefits relating to news gathering, facilities for journalists, Mambwe (2013)
production and dissemination. Flew (2002: concluded that the internet has had a positive
99) sums up the benefits of digital impact on the practice of journalism and that
technologies into three important points: a it has influenced journalists to engage more
reduction of costs of storing and distributing with news consumers.
information; the development of an online
213
However, it was also discovered that further communication technologies, and the lack of
positive impact has been inhibited by factors training on how to use new communication
such as the lack of access to internet facilities; technologies
the cost of accessing the internet and other
The spread of social media and other online. Apart from websites, the media in
online media in Zambia Zambia have embraced the emergence of
Social Media platforms to reach out to their
The development of the internet in Zambia audiences. Social media is used as an
has seen a rise in media presence on line. A umbrella term for all sites on the internet that
number of on-line publication have emerged. integrate technology, social interaction and
However, most of them are hosted in other user generated content. According to
countries and are in essence merely news Mayfield (2008: 5), social media is best
blogs rather than full websites. All of them understood as a group of new kinds of online
have the characteristic feature that enables media, which share most or all five
readers to comment and debate the various characteristics, which are: participation,
stories, as well as share them. The on-line openness, conversation; community; and
newspapers include: Lusaka Times, The connectedness.
Zambian Watchdog, Zambia Reports, The
Lusaka Star, Lusaka Voice, Kitwe Times, The Examples of social media include social
Zambian Eye and The Zambian, among networking websites such as Facebook,
others. micro-blogging tools, as well as content
Traditional news media now also have an communities such as YouTube. For an
active online presence with their own example of the popularity of social media,
websites. Radio stations such as Q-FM and take Facebook, whose usage in Zambia
Radio Phoenix have gone a step further by continues to increase, even though
enabling people to listen to their broadcast
214
the number of users is still small. The Internet of these media channels from their phones,
World Statistics (2015) estimates the number offices, schools or Internet cafes.
of subscribers to be about 1.3 million, which
is about 8.6 percent of the population. Media There is however a steady growth of Internet
houses have taken advantage of the Facebook media in Zambia as Brenda Zulu in
phenomenon to reach out to their audiences interviews with the Global Voices (2012)
and to provide a platform for news, explains:
information and interaction. Willems (2012)
concluded that websites are more and more “The Zambian blogosphere is
growing. Two years ago one would
being replaced with Facebook profiles or fan
struggle to find a regularly updated
pages which are undoubtedly more blog covering any meaningful issues. I
manageable and cheaper alternatives to am happy to report that is now
costly, high-maintenance websites. changing. New blogs are being created
at pace faster than I can count. And the
Aside social networks, the blogging good news is that what were personal
community in Zambia has continued to grow. entries are now being transformed into
Bukowa (2012) argues that the use of blogs meaningful blogs that seek to
and online newspapers is building encourage dialogue and trading of
momentum in Zambia. Many Zambians have ideas”
established blogs and/or are keen followers
Despite the fact that the internet is less likely functionaries. Additionally, it is possible that
to face censorship and control as mainstream by way of market pressure, one can argue that
media are, the online media fraternity in such blogs may not gain the much needed
Zambia have experienced some form of revenue from advertisers who would not
restrictions. For example, some Zambian want to be on the bad side of the state and
blogs such as the Zambian Watchdog and may decide to avoid advertising on these
Zambia Reports have been threatened with sites. The major reason given by the state is
closures and arrests, and as is the case of the its concern over what has been termed as the
Watchdog, have even been blocked by state lack of journalistic
215
needed to support expansion, have largely inevitable and must be seen as a necessity,
contributed to the slow pace on especially for the news media. It is
implementation. envisaged that these benefits of the internet
for the media will be appreciated once
Digital technologies such as the internet are concerted efforts are in place to have
a part of everyday society today. They are connection available in all media houses.
Going forward, the following matters provide training opportunities for the local
remain crucial to the development of the people. Additionally, Points of Presence
internet in Zambia and need urgent (PoPs) for internet connectivity in un-
attention: served and underserved parts of Zambia are
also being installed. Both initiatives are part
a. Ensuring child online protection of the ZICTA’s Universal Access
b. Improving cyber security Programme (UAP).
c. Guaranteeing Universal Access for
all The Authority has also been implementing
d. Reducing the cost of access and the “Connecting Learning Institutions”
investment in the sector project which promotes access to ICTs for
e. Harmonizing policy and legislation Zambian learning institutions. This project
to match international standards has been useful in complementing the
Zambian government’s objective of
Additionally, it remains to be seen how the introducing ICTs at all levels of the
state and media fraternity will tackle the Zambian Educational system. A few
ethical concerns that have emerged as a primary, secondary and tertiary institutions
result of the available online platforms, as have benefited already. The project also
well as what the new wave of social media included providing optic fibre connection to
engagement by the state will bring about. the country’s public universities under the
Zambia Research and Education Network
The Regulator, ZICTA, has been making (ZAMREN).
headways in tackling some these issues. For
example, in 2014, ZICTA helped the Despite the pressing issues listed, the future
Zambia Police Service in establishing the of the internet in Zambia is bright
first ever cybercrime fighting lab at the considering some of the changes that are
police headquarters in Lusaka. This project being implemented, such as the continued
came with training and support for the implementation of the ICT policy, the
police in an effort to strengthen their continued enforcement of existing ICT
capacity to fight cybercrimes. ZICTA has related legislation, and the introduction of
also been setting up Multi-purpose new policies to deal with emerging
Community Telecentres (MCTs) in various challenges in the sector. With these in place
rural posts in Zambia to ease the lack of and the involvement of relevant
basic ICT services in those parts of the stakeholders, Zambia is poised to make
country and achieve universal access. These faster progress in the coming decade and
MCTs will enable people in the rural areas position itself into an information and
to access basic ICTs and knowledge-based society.
telecommunications service and will
217
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(retrieved on 13th December 2013)