NetOne Expands Digital Connectivity with Msala Net...

NetOne Expands Digital Connectivity with Msala Network Launch

ZimNow Reporter

NetOne has extended its network reach to Msala, Gokwe, in a development hailed as a major step in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation and national development agenda.

The launch, held on Friday, was attended by senior Government officials, including the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, and the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube. Both commended the telecoms operator for aligning its work with the objectives of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and laying groundwork for NDS2, which places ICT at the core of economic and social growth.

Minister Mavetera said connectivity is no longer a luxury but a necessity comparable to roads, water, or electricity. “Through initiatives like the Digitalise Zimbabwe Expo and NetOne’s network expansion, ICT is being brought to the doorstep of every Zimbabwean, ensuring no community is left behind,” she said.

Minister Ncube described the development as transformative for the Midlands Province. “Today, Msala is not just a point on the map. It is on the digital highway. This partnership between Government and NetOne proves that when national vision meets corporate commitment, lives are transformed,” he said.

NetOne Group Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Raphael Mushanawani, said the project went beyond network infrastructure. “This development is more than infrastructure. It is about empowerment, opportunity, and dignity. NetOne does not only connect phones; we connect lives, families, and futures,” he said.

The company also delivered additional support to the community, including the provision of computers to schools, solarised boreholes, nutritional gardens, and drip irrigation systems. These interventions, officials noted, support broader government development goals under Vision 2030.

The event also marked the launch of the Digitalise Zimbabwe Roving ICT Expo, a nationwide initiative aimed at training 1.5 million coders, deploying mobile ICT “digitrucks” to remote areas, expanding community Wi-Fi, and establishing Digital Ambassadors across all provinces.

Officials said the initiative is expected to benefit sectors such as agriculture, education, and health by improving access to real-time information, online resources, and telemedicine services.

Government and NetOne representatives said the project reflects President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call that “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (a nation is built by its people).

Observers noted that while the development in Msala represents the commissioning of a single base station, it is being framed as part of a larger national drive to ensure every Zimbabwean has equal access to digital opportunities.