3 POLICY OBJECTIVES, CHALLENGES AND POLICY
STATEMENTS
T
he National ICT Policy’s broad objectives are to:
1. Provide a national framework that will enable ICT to contribute towards
achieving national development goals; and
2. Transform Tanzania into a knowledge-based society through the
application of ICT.
The policy articulates ten focus areas whose objectives, challenges and policy statements are
detailed below. As already shown under Policy Context, the ten focus areas are drawn from the
aspirations of Tanzania’s Vision 2025. These areas should be interpreted, not as sequential steps,
but as elements of a multi-dimensional space with numerous cross-cutting themes. This crosscutting characteristic is one of the main reasons why a coherent over-arching ICT policy is
urgently needed.
3.1 Strategic ICT Leadership
3.1.1 Issues:
Tanzania’s ICT environment is lacking a focused ownership and visionary leadership that takes
into account the multi-sectoral nature of ICT itself. Initiatives are fragmented, and sometimes
duplicated, with loss of synergies and exploitation of economies of scale.
It is therefore imperative that efforts be applied to build oversight and leadership capability to
bring cohesiveness to the ICT environment. Such leadership will also help ICT initiatives to be
merged with national and sectoral priorities, and be in harmony with realities and expectations of
stakeholders.
Leadership is also important in resourcing, creating an attractive environment for investors and
consumers, identifying areas needing priority funding and support, and obtaining direct resources
from either national or international sources for ICT initiatives. Consequently, leadership
requires institutional development for organisations involved in ICT and for political and
executive responsibilities to be assigned towards delivering this Policy.
3.1.2 Policy Objectives
The following are among the objectives pertaining to Strategic ICT leadership:
a) Increase the use of ICT for equitable and sustainable socio-economic and cultural
development of Tanzania.
b) Raise the level of awareness on the role and potential of ICT.
c) Create an authoritative national organization to effect, coordinate and review the ICT policy.
d) Prioritise ICT investment in development assistance policies and programmes.
e) Enhance synergy, economies of scale and productivity in all ICT matters.
f) Create a favorable environment for cooperation and partnership in ICT among public and
private sectors, civil society, and between all stakeholders at local, national, regional and
international levels.
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