Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MONDAY marked a proud moment for Manicaland as three of its public service leaders were honoured for outstanding performance in office.
At a colourful ceremony in Harare, presided over by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, Provincial Affairs and Devolution Secretary, Mr Abiot Maronge, and Mutare City Council Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka, received national recognition.
Advocate Mugadza was named the Second Best Performing Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Maronge ranked third among Provincial Secretaries, while Mr Chafesuka was celebrated as the Best Performing Town Clerk in Zimbabwe.
Delivering his keynote address at the 2025 performance evaluation results and 2026 contract signing ceremony for senior public official, President Mnangagwa underscored the Government’s commitment to improving citizens’ lives through efficient service delivery.
“As Government, we all have a duty to implement, deliver and impact the lives and livelihoods of our fellow citizens. I am pleased that the public sector in general is showing higher levels of patriotism, servant leadership, hard, honest work, unity of purpose, professionalism and selfless service for the benefit of all our communities.
“Today’s Performance Contract Signature ceremony represents new obligations to ensure accountability, excellence and results-oriented leadership. As we append signatures to the performance contracts, let us always remember the ordinary citizens of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe, whom we must serve wholeheartedly,” said President Mnangagwa.
The performance contract framework represents one of the Second Republic’s most significant public sector reforms, introduced by President Mnangagwa in 2021 to revolutionise service delivery and entrench a culture of accountability across Government.
Under the system, senior Government officials, including ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of State enterprises, are required to sign annual contracts that outline specific, measurable targets they must achieve in their portfolios.
In an interview, Advocate Mugadza said: “I am truly honoured to be recognised as the Second Best Performing Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution. My heartfelt thanks go to His Excellency, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, for this recognition and for his steadfast leadership in advancing our nation.”
Advocate Mugadza further acknowledged the critical contributions of his team in Manicaland.
“I want to sincerely thank the entire Manicaland team—directors, deputy directors, heads of departments, my vibrant public relations team, my personal assistant—and everyone behind the scenes. Your dedication makes everything possible. Together, we serve our people with commitment, efficiency, and passion as we work towards Vision 2030,” said Advocate Mugadza.
In a separate interview, Mr Maronge thanked Government officials from district to provincial level for their dedication that resulted in the recognition.
“I think this is an award that recognises the effort that Government officials from the district level to provincial level have shown in their line of duty. We really appreciate His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa for recognising our efforts as a province. It motivates us to do even much more as we charge towards Vision 2030,” said Mr Maronge.
Mr Chafesuka said the award he received is for every council employee, ratepayers and all stakeholders.
“I am delighted to have been honoured for doing my work diligently. At the end of the day, this is an award for every council employee, all the ratepayers and all our stakeholders who ensure council business runs smoothly. It is a recognition of the tremendous efforts that everyone has put into making Mutare City Council run efficiently,” said Mr Chafesuka.
The trio’s recognition, which comes a few months after the hugely successful hosting of national events such as the ZANU PF 22nd Annual People’s Conference and Sanganayi/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo, underscores the Government’s broader strategy to reinforce service delivery through performance-based assessments.
The introduction of performance contracts aims to foster transparency and measurable results across ministries and provinces.
The event marked a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to enhance accountability and efficiency within its public sector.
The trio’s recognition highlights Manicaland’s growing reputation for effective governance and administrative excellence.
The awards ceremony aligns with Zimbabwe’s national development blueprint, Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
The recognition of Advocate Mugadza, Mr Maronge and Mr Chafesuka exemplifies how leadership commitment combined with dedicated teams can lead to impactful outcomes in public administration.
