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The year 2019 was full of tech-activities, so much that we can’t mention all of them in a single post, but this is what we have been doing all year round, and we just broke it down into topical pieces for you.
We will run a trilogy of the best ever tech developments of the year, the worst tech disappointments and the most promising tech developments.
For the purpose of this editorial, we will stick to the biggest lies and most disappointing events of the year with no particular order, here is my list.
On the 12th of December, we prematurely celebrated the launch of a possible second TV station In Zimbabwe, unfortunately, all we got was a press statement:
December 12, 2018 Joy Tv Bounces Back
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has partnered Joy Media Incorporated (JMI) to re-launch Joy TV, an exciting product for Zimbabwe’s Television audiences.
Set to be launched within the first quarter of 2019, Joy TV will run as a 24-hour family entertainment channel that will air local and foreign content.
This was all it was to it, nothing more, let’s give them time ion 2020maybe or must I say, may the attempt rest in peace.
Zim Government Finally Opens Social Media.
Zimbabwe government has been forced by MISA through a high court appeal to reverse the decision to continuously block social media and the internet at large. At the time of …
even Malema blasted us for being that backward to the extent of switching off businesses and millions of transactions and information over a political demosration.
Telecel Records $21m Loss
Telecel Zimbabwe has posted an annual loss of $21.9 million as at November 2018 attributed mainly to lack of capital investment by shareholder
Yikes! yes like a loss, they literally opened doors the whole year so they lose millions.
Econet Group Takes over Iflix Africa
Up and coming streaming service provider, Iflix, has announced the sale of its African operations, Kwese Iflix, to Econet Group. The move cements the Zimbabwean Econet Group’s pursuit to develop new revenue …
All I can say for now is may Iflix rest in peace or is it in pieces.
WhatsApp Puts New Limit on Message-Forwarding
WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned chat service, has announced that it will cap the number of messages that can be forwarded at once at five, Reuters reported on Monday.
This was a sad day for content creators. If you know you know!
Google Fine $57m Under The New European Data Privacy Law
Google has been fined 50 million euros (about $57 million) by a French regulator for not properly disclosing to users how their data is collected and used for targeted advertising
TelOne Under Pressure As Disconnection Woes Mount.
State-owned converged telecommunication operator TelOne, is now under duress as it owes 22 companies from Africa, Asia and Europe a combined $22 million against its Internet Access Providers
#Monday Blues: Mobile Networks Disappoint On Tuku’s Burial
Zimbabwe mobile networks were caught napping on the job as thousands who attended Oliver Mtukudzi’s burial were only served with 2G and poor 3G network signal, depriving Zimbabweans to share all the funeral proceedings online.
Some things are just basics and must be done, simple!
#MondayBlues: Govt Talking Cheap On Privatisation.
The Zimbabwe national budget announced by former finance minister Patrick Chinamasa and the newly appointed Minister Mthuli Ncube has mentioned the need to partially privatize State-Owned Entities, …
NetOne Executives Sent On Forced Leave
State-owned mobile telecoms company, NetOne, has sent on forced leave its top two executives who are Sibusiso Ndlovu, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) as well as its Chief Operating Officer…
Potraz Adopts New Tariff Model
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has moved away from a fixed model for determining the various tariffs for telecommunications operators to a flexible model.
Amazon Boss Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie divorce
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, are to divorce after a 25-year marriage. The pair announced the move in a joint statement on Wednesday on Twitter. “After a
Econet Rolls Out A Virtual Learning Academy
Econet Wireless has launched the Econet Group Innoversity, a virtual learning academy designed to develop critical skills in the digital age.
This virtual learning academy is truly virtual, stays on the net, lives on the net and works on the net, who else has used this virtual system, in the press release they said..
Electric Cars For Zimbabwe
Yes by February our dear government was promising something very juicy after failing to provide gas for ordinary cars due to lack of foreign currency, well someone in the highest office was dreaming of introducing electric cars.
Zimbabwe is set to dramatically cut its fuel import bill and reduce pressure on foreign currency demands if the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) successfully convinces Zimbabweans to embrace the use of electric vehicles.
Reports say the energy regulator is in the process of acquiring an electric vehicle to be used to promote the technology in the country and convince authorities to support the initiative.
5G Dominates 2019 Mobile Predictions
Predictions for the biggest trends in mobile in 2019 are dominated by the imminent arrival of 5G.
Sibanda Attempts To Block NetOne Boss Suspended Reinstatement
THE President’s Office is attempting to block recent attempts by the newly-appointed NetOne board to bring back suspended chief executive officer, Lazarus Muchenje,
Misheck Sibanda had allowed himself to become a pawn in a huge game of chess. Definitely his office and position is big, but trying to play an appointing authority over an executive position was his newest low, unfortunately, the internet does not forget.
Zim Engages Japan For Technology Transfer
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services has embarked on a technology transfer with Japan to equip the Zimbabwean law enforcers in fighting cybercrime in…
This is all we know nothing more than this , zero zilch the only thing that we are certain however about this is we took pictures and there was some handshakes exchanged .
Mthuli Ncube’s Electronic Tax Challenged In Court
High Court Judge Justice Happias Zhou has reserved judgment in the matter where Tendai Biti and pro-democracy activist Mfundo Mlilo were seeking an order to suspend the unilateral imposition of
We are still slaves of this unilateral tax, I really don’t care how much it has brought the government, it’s not my duty to fund the fiscus after paying my already existing tax, they cant invent new taxis!
EcoCash Introduces A Digital Rewards Program
EcoCash has introduced the first ever digital rewards program that will earn customers 15% of value transacted. Dubbed EcoCash Reward Program, and powered by Cashback Africa.
Please please share a testimony on this ????
Computerization Of Learners Driving Licences 95% Complete
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development says the computerisation of the learners drivers licence is 95% complete.
Did they say 95% or 5%, it sounded more like the 9 was a typo.
Steward Bank Introduces Whatsapp Banking
Social media payment is a big thing in China, infact its the most popular means of settilng any bill via Wechat, a Chinese version of WhatsApp
Speaking of wasted resources and personal vendettas.
State Fails To Prosecute Machengete
Postal and Telecommunications Regulations Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) Director General Gift Machengete’s criminal abuse of office trial has failed to kick off again.
Its good to dream big, but don’t shout your dreams if you do not have the right partners and strategies to implement them
Kwese’s big plans for a free HD sports channel in South Africa
Kwese Free TV plans to launch five free-to-air TV channels in South Africa, one of which will be a high-definition sports channel.
TelOne To End DStv Monopoly?
TelOne has moved to end DStv’s monopoly on the showbiz scene by introducing real time gross settlement dollar prices for its Digital Entertainment on Demand (DEOD)
Very ambitious but far from reality
Zim Courts To Go Digital
We had a dream to go paperless, we had a dream!
Chief Justice Luke Malaba has appointed a nine-member committee to spearhead the digitisation of courts by year-end, a development expected to cut litigation costs and to reduce time taken in
Hwende Trial Postponed
So when someone opens a fake twitter account using your name, you could actually be arrested for that, even when you actually have an active and known twitter account.
Chairman of the ICT Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Honorable Charlton Hwende will be back in court on 7 May 2019 to answer charges of seeking to subvert a constitutionally elected government,
Vaya To Introduce Electric Cars To Ease Fuel Problem
Econet Founder and Zimbabwean billionaire Mr Strive Masiyiwa says plans are under way for their Vaya logistics division to introduce electric vehicles so as to help ease the fuel problems …
We are waiting ….
Malawi To Shutdown Social Media During Elections Days
Beleaguered Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (Macra) Director General Godfrey Itaye called for a meeting over the weekend to discuss plans to shutdown social media platforms and block all communication as Malawi goes to its polls tomorrow.
Cry my beloved Africa!
Fast-forwarding to December 2019 Ecocash downtime took the cup.
Ecocash Downtime:
This was a classic dinosaur, it affected everyone who relied on mobile payments, banks running on their system and most USSDs also not running due to the integration disconnection, the effects were massive and all the way into 2020, the effects are still to be cleared off with some refunds still hanging.
What was our worst ever tech disappointment, please share with us.
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