By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The Beitbridge Rural District Council (BBRDC) has reviewed its 2021–2025 Strategic Plan and unveiled a new statutory guideline to guide the development of its 2026–2030 Strategy, aligned with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
The update was presented on Friday during the Beitbridge Rural District Development Committee Meeting, held at the BBRDC Boardroom.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders and featured committee reports from the Environment and Agriculture Subcommittee, Infrastructure and Utilities Subcommittee, Health and Social Services Subcommittee, Economic Development Subcommittee, and the Monitoring and Evaluation Subcommittee, forming part of the annual review program.
Speaking after the guideline presentation, BBRDC Chief Executive Officer Kiliboni Mbedzi highlighted the legal significance of the strategic plan.
“The strategic plan is a statutory instrument and it is supposed to be accomplished by 2030. Failure to accomplish it is a crime. Therefore, I call upon partners and investors,” Mbedzi said.
She said while the plan may appear demanding, its success depends on shared commitment.
“The plan can seem to be difficult, but with dedication and collaboration from both the public and private sectors we can achieve it. Shango liko fhatiwa ngavhane vhalo (a country is built by its own people) and we are the children of Beitbridge. Let us develop our own district to become an upper-middle-income area by 2030,” she said.
Mbedzi said the district already has more than 30 partners supporting its development programmes, but encouraged additional stakeholders to join the effort.
District Development Coordinator (DDC) representative Jahson Mugodzwa, who chaired the meeting, said the new strategy is a continuation of ongoing work.
“The plan is a continuation of the previous one. It is just picking up from where we left during NDS1,” he said, emphasizing the importance of consistency and forward-driven planning.
In its design, NDS2 identifies 10 broad national priorities that are expected to drive development across all sectors.
These priorities include measures to deepen macro-economic stability, accelerate economic growth, strengthen infrastructure development and housing delivery, and improve resilience in food security, climate, and environmental management.
The strategy also places strong emphasis on science and technology, digital innovation, and the development of human capital.
It incorporates issues of job creation, youth empowerment, sport and culture, alongside renewed focus on devolution, social protection, gender equality, the country’s international image, and broader governance reforms.
The forthcoming 2026–2030 Strategy is expected to outline priority development projects, investment areas, and performance measures aimed at accelerating Beitbridge’s contribution toward national Vision 2030 goals.