Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve [email protected]
GOVERNMENT has directed local authorities to ensure that the Smart Cities agenda remains firmly focused on improving the lives of citizens, warning that technology should never become an end in itself but a tool for solving everyday challenges faced by communities.
Speaking during a recent engagement in Victoria Falls, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works Albert Mavunga said the success of smart initiatives would be measured by their impact on ordinary people, particularly those in underserved communities, rather than the sophistication of the technology deployed.
“Technology is just a tool that we can use, but what is important is the outcome. Our solutions must be people-centric,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mavunga stressed that local authorities should begin by identifying challenges directly from residents instead of imposing technology-driven solutions.
“Let us get the challenges from the people because smart cities should solve real problems for real people,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mavunga urged councils to adopt a bottom-up approach to planning, saying communities should be actively involved in identifying their needs and shaping solutions.
“Let us go down to the grassroots, let us talk to the people and collect data from the people we serve so that we come up with the right solutions for our communities,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mavunga said Zimbabwe’s smart development agenda should extend beyond urban centres to embrace rural communities, arguing that technological innovation should improve the lives of all citizens regardless of where they live.
“Let’s not just talk about Smart Cities, let’s also talk about Smart Villages. What are we doing about that? How are we bringing technology to the villages that we come from? How are we bringing solutions to a grandmother in the village?” he asked.
Deputy Minister Mavunga warned against creating smart systems that only benefit a privileged few.
“If a Smart City does not make services affordable for the masses, then we are wasting time,” he said.
His remarks are in line with the Second Republic’s Vision 2030 agenda of leveraging innovation and digital technologies to modernise service delivery and build inclusive, sustainable settlements.
The Government has directed all local authorities to prepare master plans that will guide orderly development, improve access to basic services and support the transformation of towns and cities into modern economic hubs.
The 2025 national budget strategy paper also identifies the development of vibrant settlements and Smart Cities as a key priority for driving economic growth, improving service delivery and enhancing the quality of life for citizens.
Deputy Minister Mavunga said local authorities were already embracing innovative financing models to accelerate service delivery without placing an immediate financial burden on councils.
He cited Harare’s public-private partnership on smart water meters as one example.
“It is a public-private partnership whereby the city does not necessarily have to pay upfront for the water meters. The service is provided to residents through the local authority and payment is spread over time,” said Deputy Minister Mavunga.
The initiative has improved revenue collection, enabled quicker detection of water leaks and enhanced the city’s capacity to provide clean water, while similar partnership models are being explored in areas such as waste management.
Deputy Minister Mavunga said projects such as bio-methane reactors would also require strong community participation to promote climate action and sustainable waste management.
He called for what he termed “reverse innovation” — developing practical, affordable solutions that address the needs of ordinary Zimbabweans rather than adopting expensive technologies with limited social impact.
“The smartness must be applied across the board, not just in urban centres, so that every Zimbabwean benefits from development,” said Deputy Minister Mavunga.
