OPC Blows Annual Budget In Six Moths As Health Ministry Uses Only A Third

Government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have utilised ZiG123.6 billion in the first six months of 2026, an average of 42.5 per cent of the approved budget, with most spending well below 30 per cent of their allocations, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has said.

Ncube revealed this while presenting the 2026 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review in Parliament on Thursday, 30 July.

He said that while a few MDAs have spent more than 50 per cent of their approved budgets, the majority are significantly behind on utilisation.

Total expenditure and net lending stood at ZiG123.59 billion against an approved budget of ZiG290.87 billion, representing 42 per cent utilisation. Including loan repayments, total spending was ZiG139.1 billion, or 46 per cent of the ZiG301.6 billion budgeted.

The data shows three votes have already exceeded their full-year allocations.

The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) spent ZiG17.18 billion against an allocation of ZiG12.01 billion, a utilisation rate of 143 per cent.

Transport and Infrastructural Development spent ZiG5.04 billion against ZiG4.66 billion, or 108 per cent, while loan repayments reached ZiG15.5 billion against a budget of ZiG10.73 billion, or 144 per cent.

Other high-spending ministries remain within budget but have used more than half of their allocations. These include Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion at 69 per cent (ZiG17.67 billion of ZiG25.71 billion), Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training at 52 percent, and Defence at 51 per cent (ZiG10.14 billion of ZiG19.76 billion).

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission also recorded high utilisation at 89 per cent, spending ZiG455.8 million of its ZiG514.8 million allocation.

In contrast, most social service and economic ministries recorded low utilisation.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, which was allocated ZiG12.71 billion, spent only ZiG1.03 billion, or 8 per cent. Mines and Mining Development spent 10 per cent (ZiG78.4 million of ZiG789 million), Environment, Climate and Wildlife 11 per cent, and the Zimbabwe Media Commission 11 per cent.

Other low utilisations include the Office of the Auditor General at 14 per cent, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission at 16 per cent, the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission at 16 per cent, the Office of the Attorney General at 17 per cent, and Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services at 18 per cent. Parliament itself spent 19 per cent of its ZiG4.1 billion budget.

Key service delivery ministries are also below a third of their budgets. Health and Child Care spent ZiG9.5 billion of its ZiG28.94 billion allocation, or 33 per cent. Primary and Secondary Education spent 35 per cent (ZiG13.56 billion of ZiG39.24 billion), and Higher and Tertiary Education spent 32 per cent.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, a critical vote for food security, spent 47 per cent, while Local Government and Public Works spent 47 per cent.

Transfers to Provincial Councils and Local Authorities, which are constitutionally earmarked for devolution, recorded one of the lowest rates at 5 per cent, with only ZiG667.7 million disbursed from an allocation of ZiG14.38 billion.

Ncube said the overall Grand Total for votes was ZiG109.6 billion spent against ZiG242.2 billion allocated, representing 45 per cent utilisation. Debt service (interest bill) stood at 30 per cent and pensions at 43 per cent.