Online Reporter
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, in partnership with the Parliament Budget Office and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, launched the National Budget Education and Consultation Outreach Programme in Masvingo Province this month under the theme “Your Voice, Your Budget, Your Future.”
The provincial consultations began in Chivi District on 22 June 2026, continued in Gutu on 24 June and are scheduled for Bikita on 26 June. The programme forms part of a nationwide rollout to be in all provinces intended to gather citizen input ahead of the 2027 National Budget.
The ministry said the outreach aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030, which set targets for inclusive economic transformation, industrialisation, and improved service delivery. Officials said consultations are intended to ensure that budget allocations and investment incentives reflect local development priorities and advance the country’s medium- and long-term goals under NDS2 and Vision 2030.
Meetings in Masvingo drew residents, business associations, local leaders and representatives of ministries, departments and agencies. Participants were given opportunities to engage directly with officials involved in budget formulation and policy planning.
Plenary discussions emphasized inclusive development and urged stronger measures to integrate women, youth and persons with disabilities into national planning. Delegates repeated calls made in Chivi for increased vocational training and facilities adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities. Several speakers linked these demands to NDS2 objectives to expand human capital and skills development as a pathway to industrialisation.
Attendees commended recent macroeconomic stability but urged accelerated infrastructure development, expanded digitalisation and broader financial inclusion—priorities the ministry has flagged as critical to achieving Vision 2030’s aspiration of a middle-income, diversified economy. Participants also proposed establishing bureaux de change to improve ordinary citizens’ access to foreign currency at official rates.
Community priorities submitted during the consultations included:
- Commercialising dams for irrigation and fisheries, supporting NDS2 goals for agricultural productivity and rural industrialisation.
- Building composite government offices to improve service delivery.
- Establishing financial institutions, business centres and community information hubs to boost local entrepreneurship and investment uptake.
- Road construction, hospital upgrades and improved access to medical personnel.
- Free healthcare and more vocational training for persons with disabilities.
- Early disbursement of funds for community projects to accelerate project implementation timelines.
- Upgrading Gutu Clinic into a fully equipped referral centre.
- Lowering interest rates and easing SME loan procedures to stimulate private-sector growth and job creation.
- Prioritising climate change adaptation measures consistent with NDS2’s emphasis on resilience and sustainable development.
Ministry officials reiterated that the outreach is designed to align citizen priorities with fiscal policy and investment planning. “Community participation is central to responsive policymaking and to directing public resources toward the targets of NDS2 and Vision 2030,” one official said, adding that insights gathered in Gutu and other districts will feed into the 2027 budget formulation and the ministry’s investment promotion strategies.
The outreach will continue to other provinces as authorities seek to embed grassroots perspectives in national economic planning. Local leaders described the consultations as a step toward more participatory and accountable governance and a practical mechanism to translate national development frameworks into district-level projects and budgets.
