Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa
Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe’s ability to harness the full potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will depend not only on adopting emerging technologies but also on building strong digital sovereignty, Cybersecurity, AI and Sustainable Digital Transformation expert Dr Eng Martin Muduva has said.
Speaking at the official launch of Ndarama Technologies and the National Seminar on “Digital Sovereignty: Building the Foundation for Zimbabwe’s Artificial Intelligence Future” in Harare yesterday, Dr Muduva said digital sovereignty had become a strategic national priority as countries increasingly relied on AI to drive economic growth and public service transformation.
He said digital sovereignty should not be viewed as digital isolation, but as a nation’s capacity to govern its digital infrastructure.
“Digital sovereignty is not about isolation, it is about national capability.
“It is the foundation upon which trusted Artificial Intelligence must be built,” said Dr Muduva.
He noted that data has become one of the world’s most valuable strategic resources, making its governance an economic, developmental and national security imperative.
“Data may be the new oil, but trust is the new currency of the digital economy.
“Every AI system is only as trustworthy as the infrastructure, governance and cybersecurity that support it,” he said.
Dr Muduva said cybersecurity, privacy and accountability should be embedded into digital systems from the design stage rather than being introduced after deployment.
He said Zimbabwe have an opportunity to build an AI ecosystem through balanced governance frameworks that protect citizens.
“These frameworks create an enabling environment for innovation, entrepreneurship and research.”
According to Dr Muduva, sustained investment in local talent, national computing infrastructure, AI research and home-grown innovation determine whether Zimbabwe became merely a consumer of intelligent technologies or a producer of globally competitive digital solutions.
“The future belongs to nations that build and secure technology not those that simply consume it,” he said.
Dr. Muduva said digital sovereignty should not be interpreted as rejecting international collaboration but rather as ensuring Zimbabwe retained strategic control over its critical digital assets.
“It should leverage global partnerships to accelerate innovation and economic growth.”
He called for a coordinated national approach that integrates AI governance, cybersecurity, digital skills development, research, innovation and resilient digital infrastructure into a single strategic programme aligned with Vision 2030.
“Artificial Intelligence without digital sovereignty creates dependency. Artificial Intelligence with digital sovereignty creates prosperity.
“Zimbabwe’s digital future would ultimately be defined not by the technologies it imported but by the capabilities it developed, the trust it inspired and the innovation it created,”he said.
