The 2026 Girls in ICT programme has officially started at National University of Science and Technology under the theme, “AI Development – Girls Shaping the Digital Future.”

The event brings together young girls from different schools and communities to encourage participation in information and communication technology, innovation and digital transformation.

Speaking during the launch, ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera said empowering girls in technology is important for building a smarter and more inclusive digital future for Zimbabwe.

“Empowering girls today means shaping a smarter, more inclusive digital future for Zimbabwe,” she said.

Minister Mavetera encouraged girls to take advantage of opportunities in the technology sector and actively participate in artificial intelligence and other digital innovations.

The programme aims to inspire more young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) while helping close the gender gap in the ICT industry.

The Girls in ICT initiative is part of ongoing efforts to promote digital inclusion and equip young people with skills needed for the country’s growing digital economy.

itai Mazire

Prevail International Group launched its Talk and Pay (TAP) Microfinance Company on Friday, donating two 30-tonne truck loads of rice and cooking oil to Zimbabwe’s Defence Forces during the ceremony.

The donation, handed over to Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri by Prevail Group chief executive Tendai Sithole, recognised the contribution of the uniformed forces to national stability, the company said.

Speaking at the launch, Muchinguri-Kashiri welcomed TAP’s focus on the security sector and rural communities, stating that the payroll-based loan facility aligns with the Second Republic’s commitment to safeguarding workers’ welfare.

“Your inclusion of our hard-working labour force in your customer segment is consistent with the Second Republic’s commitment in safeguarding the welfare and dignity of our labour force,” she said.

The minister also noted that security personnel are often excluded from mainstream financial products, and that TAP’s targeting of women-led businesses and rural entities supports national development policy.

“Studies consistently confirm that capital availed to women circulates faster in the local economy,” Muchinguri-Kashiri added. “When women are extended with loans, you are investing in the whole household, and also in the community as a whole.”

Prevail Group International Chairman Dr Paul Tungwarara said TAP was developed following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call to support rural business units. The microfinance scheme will offer low-cost, payroll-based loans, with priority for women-led and rural-based enterprises.

Distribution of the donated rice and cooking oil to defence forces units is expected to begin shortly.

The Zimbabwe Indigenous Interdenominational Council of Churches (ZIICC), representing a broad coalition of Apostolic, Pentecostal, Evangelical and indigenous Christian denominations, has thrown its full support behind the Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 3) Bill, 2026, describing the proposed changes as necessary for national stability, development continuity and governance reform.

In a detailed submission presented to Parliament on Friday, the church body said the proposed constitutional amendments were lawful, democratic and aligned with Zimbabwe’s long-term development aspirations under Vision 2030.

The submission, signed by ZIICC patron Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi and chairman Rev Dr Andrew Wutawunashe, argued that Parliament has the constitutional authority to amend the Constitution and should be allowed to deliberate on the Bill without interference from external groups.

“We call upon Parliament to pass this Bill in the national interest,” the churches said in the submission.

The churches said Zimbabwe’s elected representatives derive their legislative authority directly from the people and are constitutionally mandated to amend the Constitution where necessary.

“Parliament’s exercise of that mandate is not and cannot be a threat to democracy — it is democracy itself,” the submission stated.

ZIICC said public consultations conducted by Parliament across the country had already fulfilled constitutional requirements for citizen participation, adding that no organisation or civic grouping had the power to veto Parliament’s legislative role.

The church organisation, which says it represents more than 8.7 million Zimbabweans, also backed proposals in the Bill extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.

According to ZIICC, the longer governance cycle would provide government with enough time to implement major developmental programmes such as Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), both of which it said had previously been disrupted by political instability and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The churches argued that Zimbabwe required policy continuity and stability to fully implement national projects and recover from external shocks.

“Vision 2030 is not a slogan to our congregants. It is a promise that must be kept,” the submission read.

ZIICC further linked the proposed seven-year term to biblical teachings on restoration and completion, saying the concept resonated with Christian principles of renewal and national rebuilding.

The churches also defended proposals to reform Zimbabwe’s electoral system, including the introduction of a parliamentary model for electing the President.

They argued that direct presidential elections had historically heightened political tensions and divided communities.

“Our communities have paid the price of electoral toxicity with their peace, their livelihoods, and their social cohesion,” the churches said.

ZIICC said electing the President through Parliament would reduce political conflict while preserving democratic accountability through elected representatives.

The churches additionally welcomed proposals to establish a dedicated Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission, saying the move would improve transparency and professionalism in constituency boundary delimitation.

On traditional leadership reforms, the church body endorsed the removal of constitutional restrictions limiting the political participation of chiefs and traditional leaders.

ZIICC said traditional leaders were custodians of community governance and should enjoy the same constitutional freedoms as other citizens.

“A traditional leader is a Zimbabwean citizen,” the submission stated, adding that chiefs play a critical role in maintaining peace, resolving disputes and supporting development at grassroots level.

The churches also supported provisions repealing the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission’s constitutional status, noting that the commission’s original constitutional mandate had already expired in 2023.

ZIICC said reconciliation should not be confined to a single commission but should instead become a broader national responsibility involving churches, traditional leaders and communities.

The organisation pledged to intensify reconciliation and healing programmes across the country in partnership with government and community structures.

In a cover letter accompanying the submission, Rev Dr Wutawunashe said the churches believed the Bill advanced “the constitutional order of Zimbabwe in a manner consistent with the values and aspirations of our people.”

The submission comes as debate around Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 continues to intensify, with supporters arguing the reforms will enhance governance efficiency and policy continuity, while critics have raised concerns over some of the proposed changes.