Govt praises itself for service delivery accomplishments

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere (right), Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo (left) and Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona converse at the post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare yesterday. — Picture: Joseph Manditswara
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Harare – Zimbabweans have expressed satisfaction with the quality of government services, according to a recent survey aligned with President Mnangagwa’s values of servant leadership and citizen-centric governance. This update was provided by Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare.

The survey, officially titled the Citizen Satisfaction Survey and Baseline Survey on Work Culture Transformation 2023, was presented by Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo. The report assessed the behaviours, attitudes, and knowledge of public service employees, drawing feedback from 4,750 citizens and 1,170 civil servants across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces and 72 districts.

The findings indicated a significant increase in citizen satisfaction, with an overall satisfaction index of 70.81 percent, up from 67.78 percent in 2022. Key indices rated highly in the “strongly satisfied” category included Assurance (76.90 percent), Empathy (75.6 percent), Responsiveness (72.35 percent), and Reliability (71.25 percent). However, Dr Muswere noted areas needing improvement, such as ICT infrastructure, inclusivity, and gender considerations.

“The overall Employee Satisfaction Index also rose to 72.66 percent from 69.17 percent in 2022,” Dr Muswere reported. “Civil servants perceived themselves as highly empathetic, assuring, and reliable in their roles, with scores of 79.85 percent, 79.16 percent, and 75.57 percent respectively, surpassing last year’s levels.”

Dr Muswere underscored a positive correlation between citizen and civil servant perceptions, indicating a general satisfaction with the quality of government services. The top-rated government ministries in the survey were the Public Service Commission, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Wildlife, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development, the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, and the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services. Only two ministries—Local Government and Public Works, and National Housing and Social Amenities—showed declines in satisfaction indices.

The survey also highlighted regional variations, with most provinces showing an improvement in the Citizen Satisfaction Index except Manicaland, Mashonaland East, and Masvingo. Similarly, the Employee Satisfaction Index rose across most regions, with the exception of Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, and Matabeleland North.

In addition, the overall Work Culture Transformation Index improved from 69.09 percent to 73.20 percent in 2023. This index assessed factors such as work ethics (82 percent) and the option of working from home (54.35 percent). Dr Muswere emphasized the government’s commitment to further improving ICT, wellness, inclusivity, and work attitude dimensions. To promote wellness, the government recently hosted an Inter-Ministerial Sports Tournament in Gweru, attended by over 2,000 civil servants.

Dr Muswere described the survey as a vital benchmark for enhancing government service delivery. “This data helps refine policies, systems, and procedures, fostering people-centred service delivery,” he said.

In a related matter, the Cabinet approved the Air Services Development Plan, presented by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona. This plan aims to expand air services at Victoria Falls Airport and Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, identifying potential markets and infrastructure needs. It will serve as a foundation for engaging airlines and participating in industry events to boost Zimbabwe’s tourism and business sectors.

The Citizen Satisfaction Survey and new Air Services Development Plan reflect Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to modernize public service and boost economic growth through improved infrastructure and service delivery.

Source: Herald