Story by Gay Matambo
THE National Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Department under the Office of the President and Cabinet has convened a strategic technical engagement in Mutare this week to strengthen implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) through the formulation of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Handbook.
The development of the KPI Handbook is expected to provide a consolidated standardised and technically validated framework to guide performance measurement, reporting, accountability and evidence-based decision-making, in line with NDS2 priorities.
Deputy Chief Secretary for Policy Analysis, Coordination and Development Planning in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Willard Manungo, said the framework will ensure a results-oriented approach to implementation.
“NDS2 outlines the interventions that government will undertake across ten thematic working groups. It is critical that implementation is guided by a results-oriented framework. Under this framework, President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa requires that we track performance across the ten thematic groups. This makes it essential to have a standardised system for monitoring both implementation and performance.”
Strengthening governance and modernising institutional arrangements within the national statistical system was cited as a critical step towards providing timely and high-quality data.
Permanent Secretary for National Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Ms Fananayi Madambi, underscored the importance of a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
“As we carry out this work, we encourage a whole-of-government approach and, in some instances, a whole-of-society approach where all stakeholders provide technical support. At this workshop, we are working together with the United Nations family to ensure that, as we develop the Zimbabwe-United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, everything is aligned to NDS2,” she said.
ZIMSTAT Director-General Mrs Tafadzwa Bandama said under NDS2, ZIMSTAT’s priority is to serve as the data backbone for Zimbabwe’s transition into an upper middle-income society.
“The national KPI handbook is an important step forward. It will standardise indicators, clarify data sources and responsibilities and promote consistency across institutions. However, its success will depend on strong data systems, clear data protocols and effective collaboration across the national statistical systems between data users, data providers and data producers.”
With NDS2 emphasising value addition and industrial growth, the handbook is expected to provide a roadmap for local industries in Manicaland province to sync their output with national targets.
