40 International Journal of E-Politics, 3(3), 40-60, July-September 2012 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Keywords: CapabilityApproach, Conviviality, Defense, Fear, Freedoms, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Politics INTRODUCTION The English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes asserted that people are ruled not by reason but by passions like appetite for power and the aversion for pain and death. These pas- sions fuel a violent effort to attain security which eventually instils fear in others (Hobbes, 1968). Using Hobbes’ (1968) thinking we suggest that the conviviality of ICTs makes authoritarian regimes paranoid about who controls the ICT sector and the power they are capable of wield- ing with both ICTs and the proceeds from the lucrative business. According to Illich (1973) convivial tools are tools that give the person who uses them the greatest ability to enrich their environment with the fruit of their own vision. We argue that it is this fear (of the conviviality of ICT) and appetite (for power and money) that breeds repressive legislature that stifles free use of ICTs. Over the last two decades, adoption of ICTs has been show-cased as a new development mantra for the global south (Avgerou & Madon, 2003; Unwin, 2009). Inhibitors of ICT in devel- oping countries have been associated with the digital divide issues like lack of infrastructure and ICT skills. Studies have mainly addressed The Effect of Politics on ICT4D: A Case of Econet Wireless’s Struggle for a License in Zimbabwe Sam Takavarasha Jr., University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe John Makumbe, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe ABSTRACT Zimbabwe is the best contemporary example of how politics can affect economic development. Equally as signifcant, and yet under studied, is the effect of politics on Information and Communication Technologies for development (ICT4D). In this case study of government of Zimbabwe’s fve year battle to prevent Econet Wireless from operating a mobile phone network, the authors present the fear for the conviviality of ICTs as a reason why dictatorial states often restrict free use of ICTs and how this can inhibit its role in fostering de- velopment. Using a combination of aspects of Thomas Hobbes’political theory and Sen’s capability approach the authors show how passions like fear for the power of ICTs in private hands and the appetite for proceeds from the telecoms sector fuelled a fve year legal battle that was eventually won by Econet. A framework for assessing the motives behind restrictive political action and the concomitant erosion of political freedoms which inhibits free ICT use and investment in the sector is also presented. DOI: 10.4018/jep.2012070103