HARARE - Zimbabwe’s annual gathering on digital media, civic tech and the creative economy, the Hub Unconference, is returning for its 12th edition from 24 - 25 September at Harare Gardens. Running under the theme "Unruly Algorithms" this year’s edition will examine the dynamics of digital power across Africa.
"Unruly Algorithms" is a call to go beyond the hype around Artificial Intelligence and interrogate what it actually means for young people: how they learn and create, how they consume information to the challenges and opportunities this presents to them.
The two day gathering will bring together students, creatives, journalists, policymakers and tech enthusiasts to deliberate, build practical skills and establish a roadmap that contributes to an ideal digital future shaped by Africans.
The Hub Unconference will include panel discussions, masterclasses, debates, live podcasts, creative pop-ups and interactive showcases led by renowned speakers from various African countries.
Angela Kilisungu (Tanzania), Nkumi Mtingwa (Tanzania), Antonio Kisembo (Uganda), Zimbabwe’s Member of Parliament, Darlington Chugumbu, Willson Chivhanga (Malawi), Samuel Eibu (Uganda), Linda Mujuru (Zimbabwe ) and Joice Svotwa (Zimbabwe) are among the notable speakers who will be driving conversations during the three‑day conference. They will be joined by renowned journalists, artists, techies and creators who have contributed in shaping the digital narratives in Africa.
Hub Unconference Coordinator Takudzwa Musakasa shared the intention of this year’s event was to go beyond AI's net effect on us but to interrogate what we can do about it.
"We didn't want this year's edition to be just about what AI is doing to us, we wanted it to be about what we are going to do about it. Unruly Algorithms is about young Africans claiming a seat at the table, learning the systems that shape our lives, questioning who built them and why, and having a real say in what comes next," he stated.
In keeping with the ever-evolving digital landscape, the Hub Unconference will also host a Canva masterclass session, led by Nicole Njanjari, and various pop-up sessions led by Friendship Bench, Magitare Trust, and Defend Defenders, to name a few.
The Hub Unconference, will convene bloggers, academics, activists, and developers hailing from Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The gathering is set to examine how African countries might take back control of their data and channel it towards greater transparency, civic advocacy, and homegrown innovation.
"We’re bringing students, creatives, journalists, technologists and policymakers into the same space to question these systems, learn practical skills and imagine what a digital future shaped by us could look like," shared Takudzwa Musakasa.
Previous editions of the Hub Unconference featured prominent local and international speakers such as Alice McCool (The Guardian UK), Robyn Kriel (CNN), Raheela Mohammed (Al Jazeera) and Lindiwe Zulu from the ANC, among many others.
The Hub Unconference is free to attend, with a prerequisite to register at www.shokofestival.com. Both events will be held on the sidelines of Zimbabwe’s longest‑running annual urban culture festival, the Shoko Festival.