Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve-Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Government has finalised the crafting of a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, which will be unveiled in October, marking a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey.
Minister of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, said this in an address at the official opening of the Artificial Intelligence for Africa Summit held in Victoria Falls yesterday.
Held under the theme: “AI-Powered Transformation: Unlocking New Frontiers for Sustainable Social-Economic Growth,” the summit brought together Government officials, industry leaders, academics, and innovators from across the region to discuss how AI can be harnessed to drive inclusive growth, economic sovereignty and resilient development.
Minister Mavetera said the summit was a transformative platform to ensure Africa’s unified presence in the global AI landscape.
She went on to outline tangible efforts being made by Zimbabwe to build the pillars of AI.
“The country has established a High-Performance Computing Centre with a 559 Peta-Flops capacity, recently expanded under Phase 2, inaugurated by President Mnangagwa.
“To support data storage, Zimbabwe is upgrading its National Data Centre to a Tier 4 level, while the National Enterprise Architecture Model is being finalised to streamline data collection, sorting and retrieval,” said Dr Mavetera.
Skills development is a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s AI strategy and the Government has already launched the 1.5 million Coders Programme to train citizens nationwide in AI and digital skills.
Additionally, Minister Mavetera said an AI training programme targeting senior Government officials is underway to ensure policymakers understand the technology’s implications.
The Digital Skills Ambassadors Programme will soon train young people from all provinces, ensuring no one is left behind.
“Infrastructure development is also a priority, with plans to deploy more 5G base stations, expand fibre coverage, and enhance satellite capacity, including Low Earth Orbit (LEO) technology.
“These efforts align with Zimbabwe’s vision of becoming an upper-middle-income society by 2030, leveraging AI to empower farmers, healthcare workers, and educators,” she said.
She further highlighted the importance of cultural and social self-determination in AI development, noting that foreign-built AI systems may not understand local languages like Shona, Ndebele, or Tonga, or the complexities of Zimbabwe’s societal fabric.
“AI is a mirror that reflects the values of its creators,” she said, emphasising the need for home-grown solutions.
Minister Mavetera also addressed concerns about job displacement, urging a shift in the narrative.
“AI should not mean job losses; it should mean job transformation,” she said.
The Minister called for reskilling initiatives to prepare workers for emerging roles in AI development, data science, and digital agriculture.
She painted a vivid picture of AI’s potential, comparing it to the mighty Zambezi River.
“Artificial Intelligence is like the mighty Zambezi River. It begins as a small stream of ideas, but with the right conditions, it grows into an unstoppable current, cutting through barriers and reshaping the land forever,” said Minister Mavetera.
Zimbabwe, she affirmed, rejects this future and is committed to building an AI ecosystem that reflects African values and priorities.
On the economic front, Minister Mavetera said AI is rewriting the global economy, transforming industries from agriculture to finance.
“To remain competitive, we must become fluent in this new digital language,” she said.
Culturally, she stressed that AI must reflect Africa’s diversity, including indigenous languages such as Shona, Ndebele, and Tonga.
“An AI built on foreign data will not understand the richness of our communities or the complexities of our societal fabric,” she said.
