MlondoloziNdlovu

The country’s policymakers have been urged to use research evidence when coming up with policy so as to prevent policy flops and inconsistencies. This was said by the  Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network (ZeipNET) in Harare yesterday.

The Zimbabwean government has been recognized for crafting good policies that are not usually properly implemented.

Speaking in Harare, ZEipNET director Ronald Munatsi said the organisaton would be working with different government departments to ensure policy consistency.

“For Zimbabwe to prevent policy failures, policy inconsistencies and misplaced development priorities, there is need to base policy decision on sound scientific research evidence,” he said.

“In theory, the policymaking process appears very simple and linear, but in reality, it is non-linear, very complex and multifactorial.”

Munatsi said there were a lot of complexities in coming up with proper and well-informed policies that are also determined by the depth and quality of information and knowledge used by the policymakers.

He said lack of proper implementation due to the use of other evidence, which are not research based, were affecting the country’s policies.

Munatsi said as an organisation, they were trying to work with key people in government to address the matter.

“Generally, Zimbabwe has good policies, but you will appreciate that having good research does not automatically translate into good policies. The policies are good, but we are known for having good policies and bad implementation.

“So, you find that if you cannot implement a policy effectively, then essentially, it means there is a flaw in the way that policy was developed,” he added, at the same time reiterating that policies needed to be informed by rigorous research, stakeholder consultations, practice-informed knowledge, citizen participation, accurate data and statistics.

Zimbabwe’s policies have dismally failed due to political interference and political inconsistence.