Members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives are scheduled to start using tablets for official parliamentary businesses after they were issued with the gadgets on Monday. They also received intensive training on how to use them, ahead of the next session next month.
After the training and handover of the gadgets in one of the meeting Halls of the House in Chukwani area, Speaker Zubeir Ali Maulid said the move will save the government money (approximately 10m/- per sitting) used for printing and photocopying documents. "Thanks to the ICT (Information Communication Technology) era, let us get used to it because it saves time and money," Mr. Maulid urged the enthusiastic lawmakers.
The plan started in 2019, and later when President Hussein Mwinyi inaugurated the House last November, following last year's General Election, put emphasis on use of the technology. House Clerk, Ms. Raya Issa Mselem Issa also urged Members of the House to use the tablets sustainably. However, she did not reveal the cost of the tablets, as the legislators thanked the Government.
Prof. Omar Fakih from ACT-Wazalendo party (Pandani Constituency) and Ms. Hudhaima Mbaraka Tahir from CCM (special seats) were among the Member who expressed their happiness over the tablets, but asked for continued training so that they can get used to the applications in the computer. Zanzibar House becomes the latest in East Africa to adopt use of technology to enhance efficiency and reduce spending.
MPs in Tanzania Union Parliament, Kenya, and Uganda are already using the tablets in parliament's sessions.