Published: 08 July 2025

Informal traders across Zimbabwe have enlisted Information Communication Technology (ICT) experts to digitise their operations and create a comprehensive database system to monitor the disbursement and circulation of the recently launched US$200,000 Presidential Revolving Fund.

The initiative follows the launch of the fund by Presidential special adviser Paul Tungwarara at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo. The event, which forms part of the ZANU PF Bulawayo Province Leadership Success Series, was hosted by the Young Women4ED movement.

Vendors4ED leader Samora Chisvo confirmed that traders were already rolling out the digitisation programme to ensure accountability and efficiency in the distribution of the fund, which is intended to benefit vendors and informal traders in all of Zimbabwe's 10 provinces.

"We have already started the initiative and we are positive that everything is right on track," Chisvo said in an interview yesterday. "This system will help us track the movement of funds from one vendor to the next, ensuring that every corner of the country is covered."

The fund is structured as a revolving facility, meaning recipients are expected to repay what they receive so that others can also benefit in a continuous cycle.

Chisvo made it clear, however, that only ZANU PF card-carrying members would be eligible to benefit from the fund. "It is not too late for other vendors to join ZANU PF and also benefit because President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he embraces everyone in the country, leaving no place and no one behind," he added.

The move has sparked debate around partisan access to government-linked support schemes, but supporters argue that the initiative is an example of grassroots economic empowerment through political structures.

ICT professionals engaged in the project are reportedly working on building a mobile-friendly interface that will allow vendors to register, receive updates, and track fund movements in real time. The database will also assist in record-keeping, repayment monitoring, and identifying eligible new beneficiaries as the fund revolves.

As Zimbabwe's informal economy continues to grow amid ongoing economic challenges, access to funding remains a key concern for many small traders. The digitisation of fund distribution could mark a significant shift in how such support mechanisms are administered and monitored, especially in politically linked initiatives.
- Newsday

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