Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe [email protected]
PARLIAMENT will on Friday convene a capacity-building workshop in Bulawayo aimed at strengthening legislators’ understanding of public finance management, budget processes and fiscal oversight at a time when preparations for the 2027 National Budget are already underway.
The workshop will bring together Members of Parliament serving on the Portfolio Committees on Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training.
The programme comes as the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion has already initiated the 2027 budget formulation process through stakeholder consultations on the 2026 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review as well as the 2027 Budget Strategy Paper (BSP).
According to Parliament, the workshop is designed to enhance legislators’ capacity to effectively scrutinise public expenditure, analyse budget proposals and strengthen accountability in the management of public resources.
“The Parliament of Zimbabwe will be conducting a Capacity Building Workshop for the Portfolio Committees on Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development; Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training on Public Finance Management, Budget Processes and Analysis,” Parliament said.
“The workshop seeks to enhance the capacity of Members of Parliament in budget analysis, public finance management, fiscal oversight, and evidence-based legislative scrutiny.”
Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Judith Ncube is expected to attend.
The initiative underscores the increasingly important role Parliament plays in overseeing public finances and ensuring Government expenditure aligns with national development priorities.
As Zimbabwe continues implementing economic reforms and pursuing development objectives under Vision 2030, Parliament’s ability to interrogate budget allocations and assess policy outcomes has become critical to improving service delivery and strengthening public accountability.
The workshop also comes at a strategic time, with Treasury having recently launched a broad stakeholder consultation process for the 2026 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review and the 2027 Budget Strategy Paper.
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion has invited submissions from business organisations, labour unions, development partners, civil society organisations, academia and members of the public as it evaluates economic performance during the first half of 2026 and begins shaping priorities for next year’s budget.
The consultations are expected to inform policy interventions and spending priorities for both the remainder of the year and the medium term.
The Budget Strategy Paper is a key planning instrument in the budget cycle, providing a medium-term economic outlook while setting out Government’s strategic priorities, fiscal framework and policy direction for the forthcoming financial year.
The workshop is expected to equip MPs with practical tools to assess expenditure proposals, monitor implementation of approved budgets and contribute more effectively to discussions surrounding the 2027 National Budget, whose formulation process is now gathering momentum.
