Bunjiwe Mkwananzi
Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s vision for a modern, industrialised Zimbabwe is gathering momentum as the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF) shifts from its traditional role of funding apprenticeships to supporting research, innovation and enterprise development.
ZIMDEF chief executive officer Engineer Sebastian Marume said the fund is now investing in the construction of innovation hubs across the country as part of its expanded mandate.
“Some people say ZIMDEF is for apprentices. No, we have changed that,” said Eng Marume in Victoria Falls recently.
“We want five objects of the fund – new knowledge creation, research, engineering solutions, and business enterprise.”
He said the transformation is aligned with the Heritage-based Education 5.0 model, which integrates teaching, research, innovation and industrialisation to drive national development.
Under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), Zimbabwe has established seven innovation hubs and five agro-industrial parks, resulting in the commercialisation of 182 intellectual properties and saving the country about US$12 million in import costs through local production of personal-care products and protective equipment.
Eng Marume challenged the private sector to strengthen partnerships with academic institutions, saying universities are demonstrating what is possible while industry has a responsibility to commercialise research outputs.
He said Zimbabwe must reduce production costs if it is to compete effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Eng Marume cited Iran’s production of cost-effective drones during the Ukraine war as an example of how locally developed technologies can provide competitive and affordable solutions.
He also urged Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical sector to shift from importing medicines to manufacturing them locally.
“We want to challenge our pharmacists to move from having a mindset of selling drugs imported from India,” he said, expressing hope that Zimbabwe would establish a local teaching hospital capable of conducting clinical trials.
Eng Marume said innovation hubs are already making an impact across the country, with Bindura University assembling electronics for export, the University of Zimbabwe hosting operational start-ups, and the Mutoko Bioeconomy Industrial Park focusing on sustainable production.
“What we need to do is to believe in ourselves,” he said.
