An Assessment of the Independence Gap in the Zimbabwean ICT Regulatory Framework

Abstract

This Regulatory environments are judged by their independence from both the state and from stakeholders. This paper investigates the gaps in the independence of the ICT regulatory systems in Zimbabwe using Heeks’ [1] Design Reality Gap (DRG) under an interpretivist paradigm. Data collection used in-depth interviews with purposively selected stakeholders and the analysed using NVivo (release 1.6.1 (1136)) for a thematic analysis based on DRG constructs against regulatory independence. The results show a gap of 9 emanating from a private sector which perceived it as non-independent and stateowned enterprises that saw a partially independent regulatory system. This lack of independence from the state was however believed to be the norm both in Zimbabwe and in the region. The study makes its contribution by applying the DRG for assessing and evaluating the regulatory independence gaps in developing countries like Zimbabwe.