Zim Calls for Agile, Digitally Driven Public Service at AAPAM Conference

Deputy Minister for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mercy Dinha has urged African governments to embrace organisational agility and digital transformation to strengthen citizen-centred service delivery warning that public institutions must adapt quickly to survive in an increasingly volatile global environment.

Speaking at the 44th African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) Roundtable Conference in Eswatini, the Dinha said African administrations now operate in a “volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment” and must therefore modernise, innovate and reform their systems.

“We are indeed living in a VUCA environment where digital transformation is not an option but a necessity for public administration to respond to crises and citizens’ expectations,” she said.

She said while digital tools are reshaping governance across the continent agility within institutions remains the missing link.

“Agility in leadership is more than reactivity; it is the willingness to experiment, learn and remain flexible amidst uncertainty,” Dinha said.

She added that public administrators must embrace a growth mindset, support inclusive organisational cultures and prioritise professional development and cross-functional collaboration.

“We need agile leaders who lead by example and inspire others to embrace agility,” she said.

The Deputy Minister highlighted Zimbabwe’s own reforms under President Emmerson Mnangagwa including the introduction of an Electronic Executive Dashboard designed to monitor government projects in real time and ongoing efforts to re-engineer workflow processes following a national job evaluation in 2023.

Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, she said is anchored on extensive automation from digitising schools and hospitals to expanding e-government platforms and integrating data systems across ministries.

These reforms include e-recruitment mechanisms, online payments for public finance management, digital civil registration systems such as e-passport applications and the growing use of artificial intelligence in decision-making.

The Deputy Minister also pointed to advances in electronic monitoring with cameras and drones deployed in agriculture, transport and disaster management.

However, she cautioned that digital transformation must be managed carefully to avoid harming workers or widening inequalities within the public service.

“As governments adopt digital transformation, employees often feel stressed and uncertain as their jobs are transformed. This calls for robust mental health and wellness programming,” she said.

She warned that ethical, legal and institutional challenges must be addressed to ensure technology strengthens rather than undermines public trust and accountability.

As the conference continues, the Deputy Minister called for African countries to examine whether their systems remain genuinely citizen-centred.

“It’s time to interrogate our existing workflow processes and validate whether they truly serve the citizen,” she said.

The Eswatini roundtable, attended by senior officials, regional bodies and development partners is exploring how African governments can build agile institutions capable of navigating rapid technological and social change.