Story by Providence Maraneli
ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (ZEC) has commissioned a new district office in Kezi, Matobo District, in a move aimed at strengthening decentralisation and improving access to electoral services at community level.
The commissioning of the facility is part of ZEC’s broader strategy to bring critical public services closer to citizens in line with the Government’s devolution and decentralisation agenda.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony, ZEC Chief Elections Officer Mr Simbarashe Tongayi described the project as a testament to public sector efficiency and collaboration.
“We stand before a completed office building that stands as a permanent symbol of public sector efficiency, robust teamwork and national commitment,” he said.
ZEC Commissioner Mrs Abigail Mohadi-Ambrose said the new office will enhance service delivery by positioning electoral services closer to communities.
“By positioning critical public services closer to the specific preferences, cultural contexts and daily needs of regional residents, we secure sustainable development through responsive public service delivery. The completion and formal opening of the Matobo District Office will undoubtedly instil immense confidence in ZEC’s local operations and, by extension, enhance the Commission’s corporate image within the province,” she said.
Government officials said the project reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional infrastructure as a key driver of national development.
Director for Infrastructure Development in the Office of the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Daniel Njowa, said the facility supports the country’s Vision 2030 aspirations.
“This project positions the Commission as an active participant in realising National Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society. True national development is impossible without strong institutional infrastructure that guarantees efficient public service delivery,” he said.
Mr Njowa added that decentralising operations through purpose-built district offices would improve citizens’ access to electoral and administrative services.
Meanwhile, ZEC has indicated that plans are underway to construct a new complex at its Mutasa District office as part of ongoing efforts to expand and modernise its infrastructure nationwide.
