from ALFRED SHILONGO in Windhoek, Namibia
Namibia Bureau
WINDHOEK, (CAJ News) – NAMIBIA is to hold its inaugural national mega hackathon, to replace its flagship information and communication technology (ICT) summit.
The move from the summit to the hackathon is in line with shifting technological trends.
The hackathon is set for Wednesday, under the theme, “Reimagining Public Service Delivery.”
“It was not an easy decision to have,” Emma Inamutila Theofelus, Minister of ICT, said of the decision to cancel the summit and hold a hackathon instead.
“However, we thought, let us take this opportunity to take a break as the eighth administration is ushering in its priority areas,” she added.
The administration has been in place since March, under the presidency of Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“As we embark on this hackathon, I invite anybody with the necessary expertise, capacity and knowledge, through the Ministry of ICT, to help us to reach our goals and objectives in the ICT space,” Theofelus said.
She said the hackathon was part of a bigger plan to move the Southern African country more on a digital transformation path.
“This hackathon is part of that bigger grand plan to move us closer to digital means of doing business, in the way we teach, in the way we conduct healthcare, in the way we mine, all this in an effort to create an environment to get services closer to the people and ensure effective service delivery.”
The minister explained why youth were mainly prioritised to participate in the hackathon.
“Our Public Service Act was enacted in 1995 for example.”
“Someone like me was not even born. Which means the government needs to move with the times,” the 29-year-old minister said.
– CAJ News