- Chigwada received two engineering awards.
- She was recognised for leadership and work on the STMS.
- She is a registered professional engineer in electronics.
ENGINEER Charity Chenai Chigwada received two awards at the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers’ 2026 Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony, recognising her leadership and work on a major technology project.
Chigwada received the Eng. Joy Makumbe – Women Excellence in Leadership Award, which recognises women in STEM for leadership, professional growth and contributions to their fields.
She also received the Engineering Life Achievement Award for public recognition of a noteworthy engineering achievement as resident engineer on the Smart Traffic Management System (STMS) Phase 1A project.
The awards ceremony was held on July 31 at The Country Club in Harare, according to the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers.
The Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers describes itself as the professional body for engineers and engineering practitioners in the country. Its work covers engineering practice, professional development and the role of engineering in national development.
Chigwada is a registered professional engineer in electronics. She is also a board member of ZIE and has worked in telecommunications, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.
The STMS is part of Zimbabwe’s move towards technology-based traffic enforcement. The system uses cameras, sensors and digital communications to detect traffic offences and support automated enforcement.
The government began rolling out the system in 2026, with the technology designed to detect offences including speeding, red-light violations, illegal parking and other traffic violations.
ZIE has previously highlighted Chigwada’s work and described her as an accomplished engineer and cybersecurity specialist. The institution has also identified engineering, digital transformation and innovation as important areas for Zimbabwe’s development.
The recognition places Chigwada among Zimbabwean engineers being recognised for work at the intersection of engineering, technology and public infrastructure.
