Source: Zim parly goes technological – Sunday News Oct 23, 2016
Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Sunday News Reporters
THE Parliament of Zimbabwe will soon introduce a mobile phone application that will enable members of the public to download the Hansard — a transcript of parliamentary debates and other parliamentary documents.
Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda told Sunday News on Thursday that plans were afoot to go live on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp.
Mr Chokuda said the move was meant to enhance interaction between Parliament and its stakeholders. He said through the social media platforms, members of the public would also be able to follow parliamentary proceedings live.
At present Parliament has an active website where members of the public and other stakeholders can access documents and information. However, Parliamentary proceedings cannot be updated in real time on the website.
“Going forward we look forward to introducing social media links on our website, that is, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, to enable our stakeholders to easily interact with Parliament. We are also at an advanced stage with the development of a
Parliament App that users of smartphones and other electronic gadgets can use to access documents and information from Parliament,” he said.
Mr Chokuda said the mobile phone application together with social media links on the Parliament’s website would be available by end of the year.
He said the development would also help reach out to younger generations who spend most of their time on social media as well as other citizens outside Harare who might not be able to attend Parliament sessions to follow proceedings.
“Current generations spend most of their time on social media platforms and it’s important we reach out to them there. Not everyone is in Harare. We have people in Binga, Bulawayo, Masvingo and other places who would want to follow proceedings.
The application and our social media platforms will enable them to do so,” he said.
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