Technology is reshaping how nations develop, Zimbabwe included, bringing extraordinary opportunities alongside complex challenges. Few understand this landscape better than Dr. Siddhartha Paul Tiwari, a Singapore‑based academic, technologist, and co‑author of ‘Understanding Technology in the Context of National Development: Critical Reflections’.
In this exclusive interview, conducted by Tracy Tafirenyika, one of Africa’s leading voices in technology, AI, and investigative journalism, readers are guided through the intersection of innovation, public policy, and citizens’ rights. Her work, spanning the continent, is marked by depth, clarity, and rigour. Known for connecting complex technical ideas to everyday realities, Tafirenyika brings a rare combination of analytical precision and accountability journalism to Africa’s technology narrative.
Guided by Tafirenyika‘s incisive questioning, the conversation moves beyond familiar talking points to the real levers of impact: digital public infrastructure, skills pipelines, and the hard trade‑offs between rapid innovation and robust regulation. From closing the digital divide to safeguarding data sovereignty, Dr. Tiwari maps out what it will take to prepare Zimbabwe for an AI‑driven future while Tafirenyika presses on implementation, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
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Tracy Tafirenyika: Dr. Tiwari, your book focuses on technology’s role in national development. Why do you believe technology has become such a critical driver of Zimbabwe’s development today?
Dr. Tiwari:
Technology has really become the backbone of modern economies and societies and Zimbabwe is no exception. It’s not just about gadgets or software; it’s the underlying infrastructure for communication, commerce, education, healthcare. Zimbabwe’s mobile networks and digital payment systems have become lifelines of daily economic activities. Technology is enabling essential services and commerce at every level. At the same time, the true measure of technology’s impact is how it improves people’s lives as mentioned in my book. It can make government services more efficient and accessible, help farmers get real-time market prices, or allow students to learn from the best resources globally. We already see signs of this in Zimbabwe. Programmes to expand connectivity and digital literacy are underway, from community information centres to rural broadband hubs. In short, technology accelerates what a nation can do, opening new avenues for growth and better governance. Countries that strategically invest in digital infrastructure and skills are reaping benefits in terms of faster economic growth and more responsive public services and Zimbabwe is positioning itself to do the same by embracing a digital development strategy.
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Tracy Tafirenyika: Let’s talk about jobs and skills. Innovations like automation and AI promise big productivity gains but also spark fears of job losses. In Zimbabwe’s context with its young, educated population, how do you see technology transforming employment, and how should the country prepare its workforce for this disruption?
Dr. Tiwari:
We have to be clear-eyed: technology is transforming the job market profoundly, in Zimbabwe as everywhere. Yes, automation and AI will inevitably take over many routine, repetitive tasks from factory line work to basic office chores. But at the same time, technology is also creating entirely new industries and jobs. History has shown that while some jobs disappear, often new jobs we couldn’t even imagine before, emerge, and people are hired. Globally, the rise of the internet created jobs like app developers, digital marketers, and data analysts which didn’t exist a few decades ago. We’re seeing early signs of that in Zimbabwe too. Tech start-ups and IT services are beginning to grow, and new roles in e-commerce, software development, and digital finance are on the rise.
The crucial thing is preparing people for this shift. Zimbabwe has a strong educational foundation—adult literacy is high and it produces many graduates in science and engineering. That gives Zimbabwe a solid base to build a tech-savvy workforce. But we need to build on that by investing heavily in education and continuous skill development geared towards the digital economy. That means modernising school curricula to include digital skills, critical thinking, and adaptability from a young age. Students should be exposed to coding, data literacy, and STEM skills in practical ways. It also means launching upskilling and reskilling programmes for the current workforce—helping people learn new tools, whether it’s basic digital literacy for everyday work or more advanced tech skills like programming, data science, and AI operation. We have to foster a culture of lifelong learning, where updating one’s skills is normal and encouraged.
Governments can’t do it alone; companies have a role to play in training their employees, and public–private partnerships can be very effective. We’re already seeing promising initiatives. For instance, Zimbabwe’s leading telecom firm has run coding and entrepreneurship training through Muzinda Hub, which since 2014 has trained thousands of young people in software development. This kind of success story shows how new digital skills can open up opportunities and create jobs that weren’t there before, even allowing Zimbabwean youth to work for the global market remotely. In short, rather than fearing automation, any nation should be proactively training its population to seize the new kinds of jobs technology will create. If we get that right, tech can lead to more fulfilling, higher-value employment in Zimbabwe—relieving people from some of the drudgery of repetitive tasks and unlocking entrepreneurial creativity.
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Tracy Tafirenyika: Innovation often moves faster than regulation. We’ve seen debates over how to manage social media, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence and more. In Zimbabwe, the government has to balance encouraging a growing tech sector with protecting the public interest. In your view, how can policymakers strike the right balance between encouraging technological innovation and safeguarding citizens through regulation?
Dr. Tiwari:
It’s a delicate balancing act, no doubt. On one side, there’s a need to create an environment where innovators can experiment and build the next big thing without unnecessary hurdles—that’s how breakthroughs and economic dynamism happen. Zimbabwe is trying to nurture its tech ecosystem, so it needs to avoid overly stifling rules that would drive away entrepreneurs or investment. But on the other hand, history (and indeed recent experience) has taught us that if you leave technology completely unchecked, it can lead to abuses, harms, or crises. Whether it’s misuse of personal data, financial scams in unregulated crypto markets, or AI systems that make unfair decisions, regulators have a duty to protect consumers and society at large from the downsides of tech.
The key is smart regulation. We need rules that are flexible and forward-looking. Instead of trying to write a rigid law for every new app or gadget (which would be outdated by the time it’s passed), policymakers should set broad principles and desired outcomes. Laws that ensure privacy, safety, and fair competition can be applied to many technologies without micromanaging how companies get there. I’m also a big fan of regulatory sandboxes. These allow companies to pilot innovations under the regulator’s eye, so authorities can learn and adjust rules as needed while innovators get clarity on what’s acceptable.
Collaboration is also important. Government, industry, and independent experts should be in continuous dialogue. Often technologists can help inform better policies, and regulators can signal early on what societal values need to be safeguarded.
When we strike the right balance, regulation doesn’t have to kill innovation, it can actually build public trust in new technologies, which is helpful for innovation in the long run. People are more likely to embrace, say, mobile banking, digital healthcare, or self-driving vehicles if they know there are protections in place. It’s similar to how having clear rules in finance gives people confidence to use the system. So it’s not about stopping innovation; it’s about guiding it in a way that maximises benefits and minimises harms.
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Tracy Tafirenyika: Finally, looking ahead, are you optimistic about the future intersection of technology and national development in Zimbabwe? What gives you hope, or concern, as we move into an even more tech-driven decade?
Dr. Tiwari:
I am fundamentally optimistic. When I look around, I see amazing examples of technology already improving lives in Zimbabwe. For instance, telemedicine pilots are bringing healthcare to remote communities—patients in rural clinics can now consult specialists in Harare or Mutare via online video links, using platforms set up at digital kiosks. That was almost unthinkable a few years ago, and now it’s happening, which means people in isolated areas get medical advice without travelling for hours. In agriculture, digital tools are helping farmers with weather information and market prices. Even in disaster management, tech is making a difference. There’s also incredible potential for tech to help with big challenges like climate change and education. We’ve seen e-learning platforms and online resources being used to supplement education, which is crucial in a country where access to quality learning materials can be uneven. The pace of innovation isn’t slowing down, and that’s exciting—it means we’ll have new tools to tackle problems that previously seemed insurmountable.
My hope also comes from the fact that we’re having important conversations about responsibility, inclusion, and ethics much more openly now. Ten years ago, the focus was mostly on the cool new tech itself; today there’s a much bigger emphasis on how we deploy tech thoughtfully. In Zimbabwe, leaders are talking about digital inclusion and not leaving anyone behind. That shift is healthy. It means policymakers, businesses, and communities are aware of pitfalls from privacy breaches to widening inequality and are actively looking to mitigate them. When a nation’s digital roadmap is rooted in its people’s needs and values, that gives me a lot of confidence that technology will be steered in a positive direction.
I do have concerns too. If we don’t bridge the divides or update our institutions, we could see technology exacerbate inequalities or undermine social cohesion. There’s also the need to modernise institutions, from education systems to legal frameworks so they can support an innovative economy. We have to avoid fragmenting the digital space into isolated silos.
That said, I believe these challenges are surmountable if we keep communication open and keep people at the centre of our tech strategies. Zimbabwe has a lot of strengths—a young, educated population, entrepreneurial spirit, and now a vision (like Vision 2030 and the digital economy plans) that recognises tech as key to development. I have faith that with wise policies and a strong commitment to equity, technology will be a positive force. It’s not automatic, it requires hard work, vigilance, and continual adjustment, but the opportunity to improve quality of life and expand what the nation can achieve is immense. Seeing how far we’ve come in just the past decade, I remain hopeful that Zimbabwe can guide the digital revolution in a direction that truly benefits everyone. The next tech-driven decade could be transformative if it’s done right, and I’m excited to see Zimbabwe embrace that future.
