Messaging, transacting app on the cards

Victor Sibanda

The microfinance platform was rolled out during the annual Econet Marathon  which was held in Victoria Falls on Sunday.

According to the company Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Muchengeti, the microfinance application  is known as Talk Chat that will be a one-stop shop for businesses and individuals. He said Talk Chat will be used to transact and send money to relatives. The platform was developed in January 2023 and it has been successfully tried in Zimbabwe, the UK and in the Middle East.

“Talk Chat is our own home grown application mainly for interaction and is set to be the best because it uses low data. It will be faster than other applications. We are going to activate the the microfinance application  in Victoria Falls. It is compatible with all android phones. We will interact with people from all walks of life to support Econet and to tell the people that we are here,” said Muchengeti adding that the official launch of the application  will be done this month in every city in Zimbabwe. He added that there will be a national tour to unpack the product to the citizens. 

Talk Chat will be used as a search engine and it differs from other internet search tools which depend on Google. Muchengeti’s prediction is that Talk Chat will be popular with  people across the country because it is affordable and can directly surf any websites on the internet. 

” Consumers will be using the application for purchases of goods and services. It is faster than WhatsApp. They can easily download the application and use it for various purposes online. It does not depend on Google, it searches directly,” said  Muchengeti. He said the home grown application  will be a tool to market Zimbabwe worldwide.

Innovation and Technology is one of the blueprints enunciated by the African Union to promote trade and commerce on the continent. The establishment of the Talk Chat application  is indicative that the country is in tandem with the tenets of the 4th revolution which calls for technological development as well as the National Development Strategy 1.

Scores of attletes have besieged the resort city of Victoria Falls to participate in the annual Econet Marathon. Most of the city lodges are fully booked as people from all walks of life have converged in the city to showcase their athletics skills. Last year more than 4 000 athletes took part in the event held at Elephant Hills Hotel.