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‘Use research-based evidence in policymaking’

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THE country’s policymakers have been urged to use research evidence when crafting policy so as to avoid policy failure and inconsistencies, the Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network (ZeipNET) has said.

THE country’s policymakers have been urged to use research evidence when crafting policy so as to avoid policy failure and inconsistencies, the Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network (ZeipNET) has said.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

Zimbabwe has been credited for crafting good policies that, however, lack implementation to achieve the intended goals.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, ZEipNET director Ronald Munatsi said the network 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.

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“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.

Some of the policies in Zimbabwe reportedly fail due to the politically-driven ideology that does not take into account a number of issues that shape the policy.