Why ICT has yet to reach rural areas in Tanzania?

LACK of modern infrastructure in the country’s rural areas has been a stabling block that hinders the growth and development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This is why most rural areas in Tanzania are still lagging behind in adopting the use of ICTs and their applications. About 80 percent of Tanzanians live in rural areas where there is no electricity and the government shows no any efforts to create a conducive environment that would increase investments in those areas in a bid to eradicate the escalating phenomenon. Statistics made available by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals shows that, rural areas covers only 2 percent of the power distribution network in the country, an aspect which shows that the vast majority of the rural people lacks ICT use whose gadgets mostly depends on the electricity power supply.

Most roads in rural areas in Tanzania are in bad condition while others still impassable during rainy seasons an aspect that has rendered into poor ICT investments. Little developments with few electric poles can only be seen at the junction points of the main roads.

Another thing, most roads are still in bad shape and virtually impassable especially during rainy seasons. Schools and hospitals in these areas are the worst hit, with most students in rural areas currently unable to use computers. According to an ICT engineer in the Ministry of Science and Technology Mr. Samson Mwera, illiteracy is still one of the major obstacles to the spread of ICT in rural areas in the country. However, he says, this is also coupled by the crude technology as well as language barrier. A majority of the people there could not communicate in English, a situation that is disturbing to most Tanzanians who are used to Swahili language. In the modern world language has become an important aspect in the application of ICT gadget e.g internet, and computer application.