Ray Bande-Mutare Bureau
GOVERNMENT must prioritise the completion of stalled or ongoing infrastructural development projects before embarking on any new initiatives, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya has said.
Addressing an Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) strategic review workshop in Mutare yesterday, Dr Rushwaya emphasised that the strategic thrust for the 2027 fiscal year must focus heavily on converting existing public investments into finished infrastructure, improved services and tangible benefits for citizens.
“The 2027 strategic thrust must focus on three priorities,” Dr Rushwaya said.
“The first one is prioritisation and completion of stalled projects. Government must prioritise the completion of stalled and ongoing projects before embarking on new initiatives. MDAs [Ministries, Departments and Agencies] must identify projects with substantial public resources already committed, assess outstanding requirements and incorporate priority projects into their 2027 plans and budgets.”
He directed Deputy Chief Secretaries and heads of ministries to establish strict mechanisms for monitoring project implementation and identifying necessary interventions, focusing on projects with significant economic and social benefits that can realistically be completed within defined timelines.
Presenting at the same workshop, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Finance, Mr George Guvamatanga, confirmed that Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) repayments were being ring-fenced from Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) collections to ease pressure on the fiscus. He affirmed that in 2027, priority will remain on completing all ongoing road construction and rehabilitation nationwide.
In the water and sanitation sector, national dam construction progress is as follows:
• Gwayi-Shangani Dam: 76 percent complete
• Kunzvi Dam: 72 percent complete
• Vungu Dam: 46 percent complete
• Semwa Dam: 46 percent complete
• Bindura Dam: 38 percent complete
• Tulip Manyange Dam: 34 percent complete
• Zimunya Dam: 32 percent complete
• Dande Dam: 20 percent complete
In his welcome remarks, the Minister of State for Manicaland Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, commended the OPC leadership for convening the workshop at a critical juncture for institutional reflection.
“A strategic plan is more than an institutional document or an administrative requirement,” Minister Mugadza said.
