Sinazongwe Town Council Goes Digital as SMART Zambia Deploys ICT Equipment

Sinazongwe Town Council in Zambia’s Southern Province has received a major digital infrastructure boost following the deployment of high-speed internet, advanced communication systems and modern ICT equipment by the e-Government Division of the SMART Zambia Institute. 

The intervention is aimed at improving the council’s ability to deliver public services while strengthening digital connectivity and reducing the digital divide in the province. The newly deployed infrastructure is expected to enable council staff to process documents more efficiently, participate in virtual meetings and improve communication with central government and other local authorities.

Council Secretary Choolwe Maunga welcomed the deployment, saying the initiative goes beyond the provision of computers and is focused on improving efficiency, transparency and access to government services. She noted that reliable connectivity and modern ICT tools would allow staff to serve residents more effectively.

The equipment delivered to the council includes telepresence systems to facilitate virtual meetings, desktop computers and laptops for various departments, as well as solar power equipment designed to keep operations running during periods of electricity load-shedding.

The deployment forms part of Zambia’s broader Government Wide Area Network (GWAN) initiative, which seeks to connect all 116 councils and government institutions to a secure, high-speed digital backbone. The programme is intended to support greater integration of government services and improve data sharing across different levels of administration.

Southern Province Principal ICT Officer Joyce Mushiko said the intervention aligns with SMART Zambia’s mandate to digitise government operations, reduce reliance on physical paperwork and facilitate real-time data sharing across the governance system.

Training for local ICT personnel is also underway to ensure that the new equipment is properly utilised and maintained. The capacity-building component is expected to support the council’s long-term adoption of digital systems rather than making the intervention dependent solely on the supplied hardware.

For residents, the digital upgrade is expected to contribute to faster processing of permits, quicker responses to enquiries and greater accountability in local government services. The council is also expected to benefit from reduced travel costs, improved coordination with Lusaka and greater use of data in decision-making.

The deployment represents another step in Zambia’s efforts to extend digital government infrastructure beyond major urban centres and ensure that local authorities can participate fully in the country’s growing e-Government ecosystem.