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Minister Mandiwanzira

Business Reporter
Zimbabwean technology experts have introduced Wangu, a social chat application that connects Zimbabweans worldwide and makes linking with friends and discovering local content and information easier, more fun and culturally relevant.

Wangu allows users to find and connect with Zimbabweans nearby, whether in Harare, Johannesburg or Tokyo. Wangu was created and co-founded by Farai Mundangepfupfu – whose vision was to establish an African benchmark in creating a Zimbabwean digital community with a mission to connect Zimbabweans around the world who have similar interests and produce opportunities that benefit the country.

“Wangu allows members to find Zimbabweans nearby, chat, share photos, videos and engage one another. Just like Facebook and most popular social networks, Wangu members can interact with one another but now on a purely Zimbabwean platform,” said Mundangepfupfu. Not only is Wangu focused on connecting Zimbabweans locally and internationally, it ensures Zimbabwean brands reach Zimbabwean audiences in a familiar social environment.

“Wangu also creates custom branded experiences for businesses in Zimbabwe, authentically connecting their brands with their markets, unlike global social media platforms that have become too big to effectively accommodate culturally unique markets. Businesses in Zimbabwe will be able to advertise their brands directly to Zimbabweans in real time, by location, allowing them to market and promote their brands effectively to their best customers.”

Founded in 2014 as a web platform, Wangu is a Zimbabwean tech start-up based in Harare, dedicated to bringing Zimbabweans together and connecting Zimbabweans through mobile technology. With Zimbabwe emerging as one of the fastest growing consumer groups of technology in Africa, Wangu has stepped to the plate to meet this demand with Zimbabwe’s very first social chat platform.

Wangu boasts of a state–of-the-art data centre powered by TelOne and has teamed up with one of Zimbabwe’s Telecommunications powerhouses, NetOne, to deliver the growing Zimbabwean community and experience to Zimbabweans nationwide. Wangu will provide a platform for Zimbabweans to share locally relevant information with their friends and other Wangu users who share their interests.

It is anticipated that Wangu will make a great impact on the Zimbabwean digital front and open doors for many upcoming IT start-ups in Zimbabwe and the region.

Wangu is available in the Android version and available for download on the Google Play Store and will soon be available in the iOS version. Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security, Supa Mandiwanzira, says he is happy that innovative Zimbabweans are unveiling groundbreaking ICT innovations. Minister Mandiwanzira said the Wangu instant messaging app will allow users to freely chat back and forth with individuals and in groups.