VP Mohadi Launches MEL Week, Declares Data Key to Vision 2030

Vice President Col (Rtd) Kembo Mohadi today officially opened the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (M&E) Week at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), emphasising the critical role of M&E in advancing policy reform, tracking development outcomes, and achieving Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 goals.

Speaking at the official opening of the inaugural MEL Week in Harare, VP Mohadi said embedding strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks across all ministries and government agencies was no longer optional but a strategic necessity.

Running under the theme “Strengthening Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Towards Equitable Development for a Prosperous and Empowered Upper-Middle-Income Society by 2030,” the week-long programme aims to reinforce a culture of accountability and adaptive learning in public service.

“This initiative is not just an event it’s a movement to integrate MEL into every stage of our national development process, from planning and budgeting to execution and impact review,” said Mohadi.

As Zimbabwe prepares to transition from National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to NDS2, the Vice President stressed the need for robust data usage and evidence-based decision-making.

“Data that isn’t utilised is a wasted resource. Similarly, insights not acted upon are lost opportunities,” he said. “We must ensure systems are in place for ongoing learning, citizen engagement, and measurable progress toward Vision 2030.”

VP Mohadi also urged national stakeholders to confront challenges such as political division and corruption head-on, warning that such issues could hinder development progress.

“Corruption, whether in the public or private sector, remains one of the greatest threats to our ambitions. We must collectively commit to rooting it out,” he added.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Martin Rushwaya, emphasized the strategic role of MEL Week in institutionalising evidence-driven public sector reforms.

“This inaugural MEL Week should become a regular fixture on our calendar. It supports the Integrated Results-Based Management system introduced under the Second Republic to ensure government programmes deliver real and measurable impact,” he said.

The event attracted participation from senior government officials, development partners, UN agencies, and academic institutions. Exhibitions from entities such as the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Office of the President and Cabinet showcased innovations in data use and service delivery improvement.