Online Reporter
Gration Mahachi in Kadoma
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province has begun laying the groundwork for its 2026-2030 development agenda, with senior officials convening in Kadoma for a strategic planning workshop under the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).
Officially opening the workshop on behalf of the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, her permanent secretary Mr Paul Nyoni said the planning exercise marked the province’s “last mile” towards Zimbabwe’s goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy, warning that failure now carries clear political and administrative consequences.
The workshop comes as Government transitions from the completed National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to the newly launched National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), unveiled by President Mnangagwa in November 2025 as the country’s final national plan before 2030.
Minister Ncube said the end of NDS1 demanded an honest assessment of achievements and failures, stressing that lessons from the first phase must shape Bulawayo’s next development trajectory.
“This meeting comes at a time when we have just completed NDS1, which calls on us to earnestly reflect on the lessons learnt so that we approach NDS2 with the wisdom of experience,” she said.
She noted that the workshop follows high-level and technical planning meetings convened by the OPC in Kadoma and Mutare, aimed at aligning national priorities with Vision 2030 and clarifying the role of the apex office during what she described as a period of rapid reform and project implementation under the Second Republic.
Minister Ncube reminded delegates of President Mnangagwa’s call to action at the launch of NDS2 (2026–2030) on November 27 last year, where he urged public institutions to drive the country towards “an upper-middle and empowered society by 2030”.
“As such, this workshop obliges us to refocus and repurpose our programmatic agenda to align with NDS2,” she said.
She emphasised the central role of provincial offices in implementing the devolution policy, noting that the Constitution places Offices of the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution “at the coalface” of the changes expected by citizens.
On one hand, these offices are meant to bring central Government closer to communities and promote grassroots participation in national development, while on the other they are required to account to stakeholders on progress towards national goals.
The minister likened the provincial strategic plan to “an octopus whose programmatic tentacles touch on the entire development ecosystem”, underscoring the breadth of the office’s mandate.
She said the next few days were critical, as officials were expected to craft a robust blueprint to accelerate the attainment of Vision 2030, which is now only five years away.
Minister Ncube said the introduction of performance contracts for ministers, permanent secretaries, State-owned enterprises and local authorities means the new strategic plan will be closely monitored, with clear targets and deliverables.
NDS2 is anchored on 10 thematic areas: infrastructure and utilities; economic growth and stability; social development; environmental protection; governance; human capital development; innovation and technology; urban development; agriculture and food security; and tourism and creative industries.
She challenged delegates to abandon a “business as usual” mindset and embrace a culture of high performance, accountability and results.
“Our mandate is to ensure that targets set out in NDS2 are met. We are now being rewarded in line with our performance,” she said.
By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to produce four key documents — the Strategic Plan, Annual Plan, the Minister’s Performance Contract and the Permanent Secretary’s Performance Contract — as well as lay the foundation for the Provincial Economic Development Plan and other provincial blueprints.
Minister Ncube also stressed the need for broad citizen participation in shaping provincial development strategies.
“The next five years are the last mile in our march towards our national vision. Let us develop a Strategic Plan that reflects high performance, accountability and measurable results that positively impact on the livelihoods of every citizen,” she said.
She warned that failure to deliver would see Government judged harshly by the people who gave it a mandate.
