By 
By Ross Moyo
From telco to tech partner NetOne says it is “not a spectator in Zimbabwe’s growth story” but a “co-author” of the country’s digital future. The statement came via PRO Thamsanqa Luphahla at the Inaugural National Policy Expo, 25–26 June 2026 at Heritage Village, Harare.
Rural infrastructure by the numbers is galore as the tech proof is coverage: NetOne now accounts for 46.14% of Zimbabwe’s rural base stations. That footprint is critical for closing the rural-urban digital divide under NDS2 and Vision 2030.
Schools as connectivity nodes see NetOne accelerating Digital Schools Connect to deliver network coverage and digital literacy to every school by 2030. VP Kembo Mohadi called it “a gateway to knowledge, to innovation, and to the future.” Technically, schools become fixed demand points that justify LTE sites, solar power, and backhaul.
Policy = network CAPEX certainty
“Policy stability is the bedrock,” Luphahla said. For operators, stable licensing, spectrum, and right-of-way rules reduce CAPEX risk and unlock rural site builds.
Fintech is on the same grid. OneMoney’s agent network was highlighted for “banking the unbanked” and creating jobs. With coverage + USSD/app rails, NetOne is pairing connectivity with financial inclusion.
Governance is as uptime,
“Governance excellence means institutions can plan, innovate, and deliver without disruption,” he said. In telecoms terms, that’s predictable regulation for towers, fibre, and QoS.
Multi-stakeholder alignment where the Policy Hub expo hosted policymakers, industry, and civil society. Guest of Honour was Dr. Martin Rushwaya, Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet.
“Our role transcends service provider. We are custodians of connectivity… NetOne is not a spectator — it is a co-author,” Luphahla added.
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