Story by Mercy Bofu-Matinha
GOVERNMENT has announced that strengthening national security and accelerating digitalisation will form the backbone of Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy Two (NDS2), the successor to NDS1, which concludes later this year.
Speaking at the opening of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage’s strategic engagement meeting in Masvingo, Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the new policy framework will focus on building institutional capacity, improving public service efficiency, and enhancing technological integration across key sectors.
“As we undergo this planning process, our NDS2 Priorities should dwell on enhancing National Security through strengthening ZRP’s capacity to combat crime, modernise investigative techniques, and promote community policing. We must also focus on improving Service Delivery by expanding digital services, reduce bureaucracy, and enhancing customer experience in Civil Registry and Immigration,” he said.
Minister Kazembe explained that service delivery reforms would be anchored on digital transformation, particularly in departments such as the Civil Registry and Immigration, where bureaucracy reduction and online access to essential services are key goals.
“Preserving Cultural Heritage is also our priority under NDS2 as we look forward to documenting liberation history, protecting heritage sites and developing cultural tourism. We are also going to work on regulating and developing the gaming Industry by fostering responsible gaming practices, preventing money laundering, and maximising revenue generation for corporate social responsibility.
“Lastly, our focus will be on strengthening Institutional capacity by investing in staff training, infrastructure development and technology upgrades across all departments. As we embark on the NDS2 journey, priority should be given to highly impactful programmes and projects which are citizen-centric, as we are all here to save the citizenry. I urge you to collaborate with stakeholders and share expertise to drive innovation and progress. It is also important to embrace technology and drive our Digital Integration Solution as we enhance service delivery and efficiency. Fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and professionalism is also key,” he said.
NDS2, expected to run until 2030, will build on the gains of NDS1 and is designed to steer Zimbabwe towards its Vision 2030 target of becoming an upper-middle-income economy.
