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On May 22, 2025, Dr. Shakemore Chinofunga, Executive Director of ICT at Chinhoyi University of Technology, stood before Parliament with a powerful message: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not a distant innovation—it is the present force that must drive Zimbabwe’s national development strategy.
Speaking with urgency and clarity, he presented a compelling blueprint for embedding AI within the fabric of Zimbabwe’s government systems, with Parliament at the heart of the transformation.
Framing AI Within National Strategy
Dr. Chinofunga emphasized that AI and Data Analytics form the “DNA of the Fourth Industrial Revolution” (4IR), aligning directly with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, NDS1/NDS2, SDGs, and AU Agenda 2063. For Zimbabwe to industrialize, modernize, and govern effectively, AI must be integrated not as an add-on, but as a strategic accelerator.
Whole-of-Government Enterprise Architecture
He outlined the Zimbabwe Government Enterprise Architecture (ZGEA), structured across the layers of Business, Applications, Data, Technology, Cybersecurity, and Integration. Within this framework, AI is not isolated to one area—it permeates all layers:
Business Layer: Supporting smart governance, policy formulation, economic planning, and legislative functions.
Application Layer: AI-powered applications for automating services like permit processing, tax filing, and citizen engagement.
Data Layer: Using machine learning to forecast national risks like droughts or inflation; leveraging NLP for analyzing citizen sentiment.
Technology Layer: Leveraging cloud infrastructure, IoT, and high-performance computing for real-time AI services.
Security & Monitoring: Ensuring trusted, ethical AI systems through robust cybersecurity and data governance mechanisms.
AI in Parliamentary Processes
Dr. Chinofunga showcased specific AI capabilities tailored to modernize Parliament:
Improved Legislative Research: AI tools analyze bills, track amendments, predict legislative outcomes, and compare international best practices.
Oversight Automation: Real-time data dashboards support evidence-based oversight of ministries and agencies.
Public Engagement: Chatbots and virtual assistants connect citizens to Parliament, while sentiment analysis gauges public reaction to policy.
Administrative Efficiency: Automating scheduling, document management, report generation, and debate transcription—delivering hours of work in minutes.
Transparency and Accountability: AI tools visualize legislation, produce plain-language summaries, and simplify public access to government data.
Strategic Tool Selection
Dr. Chinofunga also addressed strategic tool selection, proposing AI platforms such as:
ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Gemini, DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot – for content generation and policy simulations.
Otter.ai – for transcription of debates.
Mentimeter – for interactive citizen engagement.
Google Drive / Dropbox – for secure, scalable data storage and sharing.
He stressed that tool selection should be guided by EA alignment, interoperability, cybersecurity resilience, and value for national priorities.
The Human Factor and Urgency of Readiness
Dr. Chinofunga concluded with a reality check: AI will not replace humans, but humans who use AI will replace those who don’t. He urged MPs and government leaders to “Unlearn, Learn, and Relearn”—to embrace digital literacy, or risk being left behind in national discourse, reduced to saying “pakaipa” not out of insight, but ignorance.
Final Message
The presentation ended with a multilingual thank-you—”Siyabonga, Twalumba, Tatenda”—a reminder that this transformation is not about machines, but about serving people better through smarter systems.
