By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

THE number of people who participated in this year’s Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) business forum increased to 1,200 from merely 150 in 2013.
This has been attributed to the number of people using ICT facilities such as smart phones and extensive marketing of the forum by the organisers.
Zambia Information Communications and Technology Authority (ZICTA) Director Deneral Margaret Mudenda noted that ICT usage had grown in the last two years.
Ms  Mudenda observed that the number at this year’s business forum the registration exceeded 1,200 compared to 150 which was recorded in 2013.
She said this on the sidelines of the ZICTA/Airtel Zambia cocktail held at Mulungushi International conference centre on Thursday night.
Ms  Mudenda explained  that when the authority  started  with conceptualising  the idea of bringing people in the ICT sector together, it realised there was a gap and everybody was doing what they thought should be done in the sector.
“But when you work in isolation, you do not make much progress considering that our country is in a developing stage.
“And therefore it needs to have a consolidation of efforts.  In Zambia, you notice that everybody is trying to do what they want to do on their own,” she said.
She said it was for this reason that the regulator was trying to create a platform that will always be a pinnacle for all captains of industry and players and academia in the ICT sector.
Government developed a 2006 ICT policy which literally talks about growing private sector, providing infrastructure, increasing on skills, building institutions that could help the country grow ICT.