Sunday Mail Reporter
THE Government has rolled out more than 11 000 projects designed to improve people’s lives and livelihoods across all sectors and provinces since 2018, with over two-thirds already completed.
At least 1 365 projects were implemented in 2025 alone, with 601 completed and the remainder at various stages of implementation. In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Special Presidential Adviser on Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes Dr Joram Gumbo said the Government has implemented a total of 11 071 projects since 2018, spanning all sectors of the economy.
“To date, 7 261 projects have been completed, representing 68,8 percent of the total number of projects,” he said.
“For this year, 1 365 programmes and projects were rolled out. Of these, 601 were completed, accounting for 44,02 percent, while 764 projects, or 55,9 percent, are still ongoing as of October 2025.”
Dr Gumbo attributed the spike in project activity this year to the conclusion of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), noting that it prompted both the Central Government and local authorities to accelerate implementation and finalise deliverables ahead of the transition to NDS2.
“The surge in projects in 2025 under NDS1 can be attributed to it being the terminal year before the transition to NDS2, which prompted Government and local authorities to fast-track implementation and secure results for reporting and evaluation,” he said.
The projects, he added, were designed to directly improve livelihoods and lay a solid foundation for sustained growth.
“These projects were not implemented for statistics’ sake. They were meant to directly improve the livelihoods of our people as we move towards Vision 2030. They laid a very solid base under NDS1 and are now a stepping stone for where we are going under NDS2.”
He said the geographical distribution of projects across metropolitan and rural provinces was guided by President Mnangagwa’s development philosophy of leaving no place and no one behind, with interventions tailored to the specific needs of each area, including historically marginalised communities.
“The guiding principle has always been that development must reach all corners of the country,” he said.
The projects cut across key sectors such as energy, transport, agriculture, health, education, mining and tourism.
Some of the major milestones are road rehabilitation works, airport modernisation and energy projects.
“If you look at roads, bridges and airports, anyone can see that something significant is happening in Zimbabwe,” Dr Gumbo added. In agriculture, we are now producing enough for ourselves and even exporting surplus wheat, while tobacco production has reached unprecedented levels.”
Dam construction projects have expanded irrigation schemes, boosted fisheries and improved water access for rural communities, strengthening food security and household incomes, he added.
However, external and domestic shocks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation, funding constraints and natural disasters, were a major drawback.
“Covid-19 slowed our momentum, while funding constraints and natural disasters also affected implementation,” he said.
Dr Gumbo said successful implementation of NDS2 would hinge on better funding alignment, faster legislative processes and strict adherence to Cabinet’s 100-day-cycle performance framework.
“NDS2 is about refining what we have built and ensuring that development continues to change people’s lives.”
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