Towards a Culture of Evidence-Driven, Transformative Results: Strengthening Zimbabwe’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning System Through Strategic Leadership, Collaboration, and Innovation

Context and Background 

Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), place strong emphasis on evidence-driven planning and accountability for results. Over the past decade, notable progress has been made to institutionalize Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) through the Integrated Results-Based Management (IRBM) framework, the National Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Policy and Guidelines, and the establishment of M&E units across line ministries supported by a 10% budget commitment and growing investment in digital monitoring systems. 

The development of these systems complements Zimbabwe’s growing engagement with global evaluation networks, notably EvalforEarth, a community of practice on evaluation in food security, environment, agriculture and rural development, with over 2,400 members including 80 from Zimbabwe. Through this platform, Zimbabwean practitioners are sharing national experience and lessons with international peers, enriching cross-country learning on institutionalizing MEL.

The evaluative culture continues to evolve, though challenges remain, including inconsistent adherence to the 10% M&E budget allocation, fragmented data systems, and weak coordination between data producers and users. A strengthened MEL system is essential to generate timely, reliable, disaggregated data for adaptive management, accountability, and improved service delivery. In this regard, the Government of Zimbabwe and the UN Country Team (UNCT), through the Cooperation Framework (ZUNSDCF), have championed initiatives to advocate for evidence-based policy, strengthen data and information systems, promote evidence generation and use, and build individual and institutional MEL capacities through training, peer learning, and knowledge exchange. 

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The inaugural National MEL Week emerged as a flagship national initiative, marked by strong political will and high-level leadership from the Government of Zimbabwe. The event was officially opened by the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Hon. (Rtd) Col. K.C.D. Mohadi, and was further elevated by a special recorded message from His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa, reflecting the highest level of political endorsement for the country’s MEL agenda. The presence of the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. M. Rushwaya, and the Special Advisor to the President on Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr. J. Gumbo, also signaled the government’s strong commitment to institutionalize evidence-based governance and strengthen national systems for accountability, learning, and results. The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Edward Kallon, also delivered remarks reaffirming the UN’s partnership with Zimbabwe in strengthening national monitoring, evaluation, and learning ecosystems. 

Bringing together over 300 stakeholders from government, Parliament, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector, Learning Week created a national platform for shared learning, innovation, and peer exchange. It further demonstrated Zimbabwe’s commitment to data-driven, inclusive, and gender-responsive development. Importantly, the Learning Week connected Zimbabwe’s evaluation community to global knowledge networks, such as the EvalforEarth Community of Practice, expanded collaboration opportunities, strengthened peer learning, and enhanced the visibility of national initiatives within broader sustainability-focused evaluation dialogues.

Journey of National M&E Capacity Building 
 

Planning and Organization of the MEL Week

The Government of Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the UNCT, coordinated the planning and delivery of the inaugural National MEL Week. The event was guided by a jointly-developed concept note that aligned with national priorities, emerging MEL issues, and Vision 2030 commitments. The process was informed by peer learning and technical exchanges with the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA), which provided valuable insights on structuring an inclusive and impactful national learning event.

To ensure a well-organized, inclusive, and impactful MEL Week, six multi-stakeholder committees were established, comprising representatives from government ministries and departments, local authorities, academia, UN agencies, voluntary organizations for professional evaluation (VOPEs), the private sector, civil society, and youth volunteers, including:

• Steering Committee provided overall strategic direction and oversight.
• Program Committee designed the agenda and coordinated speakers to reflect national MEL priorities.
• Knowledge Content Committee curated technical sessions, reviewed abstracts, and produced knowledge products to capture lessons beyond the event.
• Communication and Publicity Committee managed visibility and media engagement, ensuring broad dissemination of key messages.
• Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Committee secured financial and technical support from partners.
• Events Management Committee coordinated logistics and participant engagement. 

Highlights of the 2025 MEL Week

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Sessions during the week explored evidence-based policymaking, data innovation, inclusive M&E, and capacity building, showcasing cross-sector collaboration and emerging tools for strengthening Zimbabwe’s MEL system.

Key Lessons Learned

1. High-level political leadership is essential for accelerating MEL institutionalization.

The presence and participation of top Government officials, including the President (through a recorded message), the Vice President, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, and the senior advisor demonstrated that strong political commitment is a critical enabler of national MEL system strengthening. Such endorsement increases stakeholder confidence, mobilizes participation across sectors and reinforces MEL as a strategic governance priority rather than a technical exercise.

2.  Multistakeholder engagement enhances ownership and collective learning.

The involvement of over 300 participants from government, UN agencies, civil society, academia, and development partners highlighted the value of diverse perspectives in strengthening national MEL capacity. Bringing together varied actors promoted shared understanding, peer learning, and joint problem-solving, key ingredients for a resilient MEL ecosystem.

3.  Strategic partnerships reinforce MEL system development.

The joint leadership of the event by the government and the UN Resident Coordinator signaled strong collaboration between national institutions and development partners. This partnership model supports alignment of national MEL priorities with international good practices and expands opportunities for technical support and resource mobilization.

4. Visibility from global networks strengthens national learning ecosystems.

Linkages to global platforms such as the EvalforEarth Community of Practice expanded knowledge-sharing opportunities and positioned Zimbabwe’s MEL work within global sustainability evaluation dialogues. Such connections enhance the country’s visibility and enable access to innovations and peer experiences from other nations.

5.  High-level platforms create momentum for accountability and results-focused implementation.

National MEL Week provided a unified platform to reaffirm commitments to transparency, results-based management, and evidence-driven decision-making. High-level voices set the tone for stronger accountability mechanisms and help drive implementation of agreed national priorities.

6. Clear messaging from leadership helps align national institutions.

Messages from the President and Vice President helps reinforce coherence across ministries, departments, and agencies by communicating shared expectations around the use of data, monitoring, and evaluation. This alignment is crucial for improving coordination and consistency in reporting and performance management.

7. Effective policy coherence and evidence-informed development require structured inclusive coordination. 

The MEL Week experience demonstrated that fragmented efforts cannot address national challenges. Success depends on breaking silos and creating integrated systems through structured mechanisms such as joint steering committees, multi-stakeholder planning teams, and joint work plans. 

8. Beyond leadership commitment, treat data and citizen voices as strategic assets for advancing inclusive M&E.

• Equity cannot be achieved without both the evidence and the voices that guide and measure progress. Inclusive M&E is not an afterthought; it is the foundation of accountability and sustainable development outcomes. Therefore, building inclusive systems requires investment in mechanisms that generate robust, disaggregated data and institutionalizing the meaningful participation of marginalized groups as active contributors throughout the policy and program cycles Without both data and engagement, inclusive monitoring becomes impossible, and interventions risk leaving behind those most in need, undermining the national commitment to leave no one behind.
• Notably, Zimbabwean evaluators are already contributing to global learning in inclusive M&E. For example, through EvalforEarth’s thematic work on inclusive and participatory evaluation, Zimbabwean members have shared insights on gender, social inclusion, and youth engagement as reflected in the blog “Reflections on Evaluating Disaster Risk Reduction Programs from a Girl-Centered Lens” which illustrates how evidence can empower marginalized voices.

9. Capacity building is effective when it is institutionalized, professionalized, and sustained through collaboration, ensuring that evidence informs decision-making and inclusive policy development.

• Short-term training initiatives often build temporary skills but rarely translate into lasting institutional capability. Building a resilient, evidence-driven governance culture requires recognizing M&E as both a specialized profession and a practical competency, continuously strengthened through applied learning, mentorship, and peer exchange.
• EvalforEarth supports this approach by offering peer learning spaces, mentorship opportunities, and South–South triangular exchanges that complement Zimbabwe’s national evaluation capacity building efforts. Members shared experiences through blogs and online discussions, advancing learning on evaluation capacity, resilience, and innovation. 

Conclusion

The inaugural 2025 National MEL Week marked a pivotal step in strengthening Zimbabwe’s results-based governance architecture and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to evidence-informed development. The active participation of His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa through his recorded message, alongside the Vice President, senior government leadership, and the UN Resident Coordinator, signaled unprecedented political commitment to embedding MEL at the center of national development processes. This high-level endorsement, combined with the engagement of more than 300 stakeholders, demonstrated strong national ownership of the MEL agenda and created renewed momentum for institutionalizing a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous learning.

Going forward, sustaining the gains achieved requires strategic and coordinated investments in strengthening institutional capacities, modernizing integrated data systems, and reinforcing inclusive coordination mechanisms across the government and its partners. Continued collaboration with national professional bodies and global networks such as EvalforEarth, will be essential in promoting innovation, expanding peer learning, and positioning Zimbabwe as an emerging leader in evidence-driven policymaking. With these efforts, Zimbabwe is well placed to accelerate progress toward Vision 2030 and the SDGs, ensuring that development actions remain responsive, inclusive, and informed by robust evidence.

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_{Learning brief prepared by:} 

_{Getrude Matsika: Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Zimbabwe; Doctoral Researcher, University of Fort Hare, South Africa.} 

_{Caroline Makuvire: Director, Evaluation, Research and Learning, Office of the President and Cabinet}

_{Leona Mavhudzi: Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist}