Online Reporter
Joseph Madzimure
Zimpapers Politics Hub
Zimbabwe must accelerate research and innovation in strategic sectors such as agriculture, mining, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, biotechnology, medicine and climate resilience to drive industrialisation, economic transformation and national self-reliance, ZANU PF Secretary-General Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.
Addressing a Capacity Building Workshop at the ZANU PF Headquarters in Harare this afternoon, Adv Mudenda, who is also the Speaker of Parliament, said research and innovation were indispensable pillars of sustainable development and strategic sovereignty.
He called on the country to harness its vast intellectual capital to produce home-grown solutions to national challenges.
“There is no denying that research and innovation are fundamental drivers of national development, economic transformation and strategic sovereignty,” he said.
Adv Mudenda said Zimbabwe must move away from being primarily a consumer of imported knowledge, technology, goods and services and instead become a producer of knowledge, innovation and technologies that enhance productivity, wealth creation and national sovereignty.
He said the Education 5.0 model had fundamentally transformed higher and tertiary education by expanding the traditional focus on teaching, research and community service to include innovation, industrialisation and the preservation of national heritage.
“To that end, the Education 5.0 Model has been transformative of Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education system, which was previously focused primarily on teaching, research and community service, but now serves as a powerful engine of innovation, industrialisation and national heritage,” he said.
Adv Mudenda challenged universities to commercialise their research by developing patented innovations and intellectual property that generate income for institutions while contributing to national economic growth.
“Universities must convert knowledge and research into patented inventions protected by copyrights, thereby creating wealth for the institutions and the nation at large.
“That is precisely what universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University have achieved by embracing and benefiting from a clear, innovative purpose,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, ZANU PF Secretary for Education, Research and Ideology Cde Charles Tawengwa described his department as the intellectual engine of the ruling party.
“Our responsibility is to preserve our revolutionary values, strengthen ideological consciousness, promote research and ensure that every cadre understands both our history and our vision for the future,” he said.
Cde Tawengwa stressed the importance of evidence-based decision-making, saying sound policies must be informed by credible research and rigorous analysis.
“We must understand the concerns of our communities, assess the effectiveness of our programmes and anticipate emerging political, economic and social developments.
“This workshop should therefore strengthen your capacity to establish effective provincial research structures that provide timely and practical recommendations to the party leadership,” he said.
The workshop was attended by Politburo members, Ministers, senior Government officials, vice-chancellors and heads of institutions of higher learning, as well as educationists, policymakers, researchers and administrators.
It was held under the theme, “Strengthening Ideological Clarity and Mobilisation Capacity of Party Secretaries for Education, Ideology and Research.”
