Mnangagwa spotlights ministers' performance

IN line with President Mnangagwa's high-performance culture, Cabinet ministers and heads of public sector agencies will this week sign their performance-based contracts which are designed to nurture a high work ethic, accountability and good governance.

President Mnangagwa in 2021 introduced annual performance-based contracts that emphasise more work and less talk among top civil servants.

In a statement yesterday, the Office of the President and Cabinet said the ministers and heads of public sector agencies will be signing the performance-based contracts on Friday.

"The performance contracts enhance accountability, servant leadership, economic growth and competitiveness. The event is a demonstration of commitment to achieve impactful results by Cabinet ministers and heads of public sector agencies to the Head of State and Government, His Excellency, President Dr ED Mnangagwa and the people of Zimbabwe," reads the statement.

During an address to the first Cabinet sitting of the year at State House last month, President Mnangagwa called on Cabinet ministers to prioritise Cabinet over everything else and implement policies, programmes and projects that will catapult Zimbabwe to greater economic development, growth and prosperity.

"Citizens are the primary beneficiaries of our efforts, and open lines of communication with them should be maintained, including through active Thematic Working Group discussions.

"Their input, support and expertise are invaluable in driving sustainable development and ensuring the success of our initiatives. Reports of Thematic Working Groups should form a major part of Cabinet business as we accelerate the implementation of the National Development Strategy," he said.

Last year Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka, was adjudged the Best Performing Minister at the 2022 Performance Evaluation Results and signing ceremony of the 2023 performance contracts for Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.

His Permanent Secretary, Dr John Basera, who has since been reassigned to the Local Government and Public Works Ministry, also scooped the Best-Performing Permanent Secretary Award.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava, was the second-best performing minister. Permanent secretaries were the first to sign performance contracts in 2021 before they were extended to ministers and heads of local authorities, State-owned enterprises, and State universities.

Walking the talk, President Mnangagwa will also chair a bi-annual review meeting to assess the performance of all local authorities to arrest the deteriorating service delivery in towns and cities.

This is contained in a local authority blueprint titled, "A call to action-no compromise to service delivery: First stage of interventions to modernise the operations of local authorities towards a 2030 Vision".

"Over and above the Annual Performance Contracts administered by the Office of the President and Cabinet, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works shall immediately prepare a bi-annual review of local authorities which shall be presented at a meeting which will be chaired by His Excellency, the President," reads the blueprint in part.