Performance Review Results: Government Ministers, Public Bodies Honored as a Result of Their Success

By Staff Reporter

Chief Secretary to President and Cabinet Dr. M. Rushwaya announced today the outcome of the 2024 Performance Contracts Evaluation, awarding excellence and areas of improvement among Cabinet ministers and State institutions. The formal evaluation exercise, undertaken by independent consultant firm Best Practices (Pvt) Ltd, sought to improve accountability as well as service delivery among different government ministries.

The evaluation spanned a huge range of public officials, i.e., 25 Ministers, 26 Permanent Secretaries, 125 Chief Executive Officers of Public Entities, and many local authority leaders. It was the first overall review of performance since the signing of the Performance Contracts in March 2023.

Performance Outcomes

For the Cabinet Ministers, none exceeded target, but 19 (73%) reached expected outcomes, with 7 (27%) falling short but remaining within tolerable range. The Minister mean score was 4.15, a decrease from last year’s 4.17.

Among the Permanent Secretaries, the pattern was the same too with 15 (58%) reaching the target and 11 (42%) below, realizing an average score increase to 4.04 from 3.93 in 2023.

The Provincial Ministers performed equally as well with 50% of them reaching the targets and 50% of them being within the acceptable variance. Their average was 4.02, an 8% increase from the 2023 score.

Public institutions performed differently, with 1% performing above targets among 125 CEOs that were assessed, and 96% managed to take part in the assessment. The mean performance score increased to 3.95.

Highest Achievers Identified

Highest achievers were identified by Dr. Rushwaya in different categories:

– Cabinet Ministers:
– Overall Performer: Hon. F. Mhona, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development
– First Runner Up: Hon. Dr. A. Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development

– Public Entities:
– CEO Overall Performer: Tinotenda Mhiko, Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA)
– Board Chairpersons Overall Performer: Shingai I. Mutumbwa, National Building Society (NBS)

In independent commissions, Mr. Mawire of the Zimbabwe Land Commission was awarded the overall performer for executive secretaries.

Urban and rural district councils were also beneficiaries, with Dr. L. Mkandhla of Kwekwe City and Mr. E. Chidakwa of Zvimba RDC as top performers in their respective categories.

Improvements and Next Steps

Dr. Rushwaya admitted that while there were unacknowledged officials, great improvements were registered in most of the mandates, especially in mining, tourism, and education. The Ministry of Tourism registered great growth, and the Ministry of Mines recorded optimistic results despite stiff international market trends.

The future, according to the 2024 Performance Contract Evaluation findings, is a blue print for the establishment of efficiency optimisation, quality service delivery, and organisational reform in government ministries and state agencies. The government pledged to adhere to a clean and accountable regime of performance contracting, its success based on best global practice.

As the government continues, everyone will be watching how these assessments influence policy and strategy adjustments in the attempt to react effectively and responsibly to the people’s needs.