Tanzania has started process to send the country’s first operational satellite into the space station.
This was revealed in Arusha by the Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Information Technology Engineer Kundo Mathew.
The Minister was officially opening the Annual Audit Risk and Cybersecurity Conference, which runs under the theme of ‘Resilience in Digital Disruption Era.’
Then he broke the Tanzania’s first satellite plans to be realized in the very near future.
If the proposed satellite project becomes a reality, then Tanzania is going the fourth country in East Africa to venture into space technology after Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
“But Tanzania is not rushing into the space idea; we are taking time to identify our needs for the proposed National Satellite, the customize the project,” stated the Deputy Minister.
“We are considering the intended use for the Tanzanian Satellite,” he added. “Should it be just for observations? that is keeping watch on our skies or monitoring the country resources from the air; maybe also patrolling the territorial borders digitally?” mulled Engineer Mathew.
“Tanzania shall customize the satellite in accordance with the country’s needs,” he stated, adding that the move is part of the Malabo convention which among other things entails the protection of national airspaces.
The Deputy Minister also mentioned the intention to deploy the envisaged satellite to aid and enforce penetration of the territorial digital communications.
“There are areas dotted with big hills and mountains where it becomes impossible for the fibre optic cables to be laid through, these are where the satellite will take over in beaming and spreading digital waves,” he explained.
The Deputy Minister observed that the satellite can also be deployed to serve army communications and other security operations as well as tailor-made weather forecast.
Already a special team has been dispatched to study the needs of the proposed Tanzanian satellite. The team operates under the Ministry of Information, Communications and Information Technology.
The proposed satellite compliments the 758 digital communication towers erected throughout Tanzania and the addition 600 others soon to be planted in the country.
The 2023 ISACA Annual Audit, Risk and Cybersecurity Conference that brought together a diverse group of over 250 thought leaders and experts to share their insights and experiences on IS/IT audit, control, security, cybersecurity, governance, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI).
According to Halfan Semindu, the ISACA board member the delegates shared experience on what is developing across the world and what can be emulated in Tanzania, including issues of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Project Management in the era of Business Disruption
“ISACA is an international professional association focused on IT (information technology) governance,” said Semindu who explained that training government officials on Cybersecurity was vital in ensuring the country is protected.
Some of the participating countries in the Arusha ISACA conference include Kenya, Nigeria, Comoros, Djibouti and the host Tanzania.