Tanzania’s
capital city Dar es Salaam will become the fourth city in east Africa
to launch a free internet zone service that will help increase
innovation among the country’s youth and improve public service
delivery.
Dar es Salaam will join other cities in the region like Kigali in
Rwanda, Kisumu and Nakuru in Kenya that have all launched a free
internet service this year. This trend underscore the growing role of
internet connectivity to east African economies.
Several tech startups in the region are hosted in small open-plan
spaces such as iHub and mLab in Nairobi, KinuHub and TanzICT in Dar es
Salaam, and Outbox and Hivacolab in Kampala. But with these increased
free networking opportunities, more techpreneurs are expected to come on
board.
In Tanzania, the focus of the free connectivity has mainly been
placed on hospitals starting with Muhimbili National Hospital, one of
the busiest places in the city, accommodating a big number of people
every day.
Tanzania’s Minister of Communication, Science and Tecnology, Makame
Mbarawa, said the technology would ensure that innovations take centers
stage in public service delivery, whereupon WiFi can potentially
transform the city into a health and medical hub for the sub-Saharan
region.
Mbarawa however added the initiative will not stop there but will
also be rolled out to other hospitals, big shopping malls in the city in
an effort to ensure that people access free internet services.
“The government has realized that there is serious need of free
internet in most of these places and will ensure that the goal is
achieved,” IPPMedia quoted the minister saying.
Smart Cities
Mbarawa noted that after realizing the importance of the service, he
convened mobile phone operators in the country and sold the idea to
them. The company entrusted with launching the service roll out would
not be named until the government was ready to start the service.
The minster noted that he was optimistic that other service providers
would follow suit as the government plans to provide the same service
to other major urban areas like Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya.
Kigali became the first city in East Africa to launch free wireless
internet in specific areas of the capital last week under the “Smart
Kigali” initiative, joining the ranks of “digital cities” such as
Toronto, Houston, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Taipei.
Reports show that in the past five years, Rwanda has registered one
of the highest Internet user growth rates in Africa with 8,900 per cent
compared with the continent’s growth rate of 2,450 per cent and the
world average rate of 444 per cent. Rwanda now has an Internet
penetration of around 800,000 users and is targeting five million users
by 2016.
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