Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) has officially launched the results of the 2023 Economic Census, with board chairperson Mr John Mafararika describing the data release as a milestone moment in the country’s drive towards evidence-based economic governance.
Speaking at the dissemination event held in Harare on Wednesday, Mr Mafararika said the economic census stands as a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s statistical system and a vital tool for driving informed decisions at all levels of Government and business.
“This is a landmark operation that speaks directly to Zimstat’s mandate of producing comprehensive, reliable and timely statistics,” he said.
“Such data is essential in guiding economic policy, shaping business strategy, supporting research and even household-level decision-making.”
The 2023 Economic Census provides an updated national snapshot of the structure, size and distribution of economic activities across sectors.
It is the first major census of its kind since the last one was conducted over a decade ago.
Mr Mafararika said the data collected would play a pivotal role in the country’s development goals under the Medium-Term Strategy 1 (MTS 1).
“Without accurate information on the structure and scale of our economy, we risk basing policies on assumptions instead of solid evidence,” he said.
“This census gives us that clarity.”
He expressed appreciation to the Zimstat management and technical teams for undertaking what he called a complex and challenging national operation, as well as to the businesses and establishments that participated in the survey.
“Allow me to commend, first and foremost, the Director-General and Zimstat’s management for their technical leadership. Second, the dedicated staff and enumerators who collected data across the country under difficult conditions. And most importantly, our respondents – the business owners – who understood the value of official statistics and shared information,” said Mr Mafararika.
He pledged the board’s commitment to ensuring sound governance and mobilising resources for statistical work going forward.
“As a board, we remain committed to good governance and strategic direction. We will continue advocating for stronger stakeholder collaboration and adequate resourcing to improve data quality and coverage,” he said.
The final report of the 2023 Economic Census, he added, will provide deeper insights critical for formulating microeconomic interventions and tracking sectoral performance in Zimbabwe.
