THE Government has developed a Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboard to strengthen accountability and transparency on development programmes.
The government is taking a strong position in tracking the impact of development programmes through evidence-based data, which will help improve efficiency, accountability and transparency.
Officially opening the inaugural Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Week in Harare this Thursday, Vice President Kembo Mohadi noted that a home-grown solution titled the Chiringa Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboard will soon be launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa before the end of this year.
“My office, in partnership with Bindura University of Science Education, has developed a Chiringa Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboard that is based on real-time data and has since been adopted by the government to be the main instrument to be used by all government institutions in monitoring all programmes and projects under one roof.
“The Chiringa Dashboard will soon be launched by His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, before the end of this year. Let us continue to measure our successes knowing that what is measured gets done, and together, we will build the Zimbabwe we want, brick upon brick and stone upon stone, leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.
Vice President Mohadi noted that the model of Monitoring and Evaluation is now a necessity.
“Monitoring, evaluation, and learning are no longer optional; they are strategic imperatives. The Second Republic recognises Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning as a cornerstone of good governance, value for money and policy improvement. It is for this reason that Monitoring and Evaluation units were institutionalised across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. Through Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, we are building a culture of accountability and adaptive learning,” he said.
The pilot Monitoring and Evaluation programme is expected to soon expand to tracking the impact of economic programmes and policies.
“Government is currently assessing the home-grown Chiringa Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboard. The system has been piloted within the Social Services Cluster under the purview of Vice President Kembo Mohadi, with ongoing developments now extending to the Economic Services Cluster under Vice President General Rtd Dr Constantino Chiwenga. These efforts are focused on the integration of monitoring functions into the Chiringa Platform. A holistic approach will entail integrating all fragmented and siloed systems to eliminate unnecessary data gaps and promote a single source for systematic planning, budgeting, and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning,” Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya said.
The United Nations reckons this initiative points in a good direction for government development programmes.
“Achieving the SDGs in Zimbabwe and becoming an upper-middle-income society requires a concerted effort, guided by evidence and driven by results. Enhanced Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning is a fundamental requirement for equitable service delivery and sustainable development. By investing in robust MEL systems, Zimbabwe can accelerate its progress towards becoming a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, leaving no one behind,” UN Resident Coordinator, Dr Edward Kallon said.
Through enhanced focus on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, Zimbabwe joins a pool of African countries, which together form a continental movement on managing for sustainable development results.
