Zimbabwe governance professionals urged to harness AI

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly shapes global development, governance professionals in Zimbabwe are being urged to identify and leverage relevant AI tools to enhance efficiency in government and private sector operations.

Speaking to NewsDay Business during the Chartered Governance and Accountancy Institute of Zimbabwe Summer School in Bulawayo, Tinashe Chimombe, co-founder of Special Business Solutions, highlighted the transformative potential of AI for automating repetitive tasks and strengthening strategic decision-making.

"We should employ AI systems to automate repetitive work, particularly in government processes, so that efforts can be aligned to strategy rather than manual tasks," Chimombe said.

He stressed that AI could play a critical role in fraud detection and risk management.

"AI systems can identify risk areas in real time, helping detect fraud before it occurs," Chimombe said. "I have proposed a framework to the Minister of Finance and the Office of the President's Department of Innovation, integrating AI tools with the public finance management system to flag unusual transactions and curb misappropriation of funds."

Chimombe also emphasised the broader capabilities of AI, from faster calculations and report generation to recruitment support and strategic problem-solving, underscoring that AI complements rather than replaces human oversight.

He highlighted the need for a clear legal and regulatory framework to ensure safe and effective AI implementation.

"For compliance to be present, there should be regulated frameworks," he said. "While Europe has AI regulations, Africa—including Zimbabwe—is still developing statutory instruments. Government efforts through the Ministry of ICT are ongoing to address this."

Chimombe concluded that effective collaboration between governance professionals, AI agencies, and private sector stakeholders is key to driving innovation, improving governance, and fostering economic growth in Zimbabwe.