By Flata Kavinga
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), in partnership with the National Competitiveness Commission (NCC), has launched the 2026 Rural and Urban Councils Competitiveness Index (RUCCI) Survey, a nationwide exercise aimed at establishing a baseline on the competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s 92 local authorities.
According to a joint statement issued by ZIMSTAT director-general Tafadzwa Bandama and NCC acting executive director Brighton Mushayanewako, the survey commenced on July 4 and will run until July 25, 2026.
The survey will cover all local authorities across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces, including city councils, municipalities, town councils, local boards and rural district councils.
The two institutions said the survey seeks to assess local authorities on governance, economic dynamism, infrastructure, service delivery, innovation, investment attractiveness, sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience.
“The purpose of the survey is to establish a national baseline on the competitiveness of local authorities. Competitive local authorities play a critical role in creating an environment that supports business, investment, innovation and a better quality of life for residents,” the statement reads.
According to ZIMSTAT and the NCC, information generated through the survey will be used to develop a comprehensive Rural and Urban Councils Competitiveness Index that will rank all 92 local authorities on competitiveness.
The findings are also expected to inform evidence-based policy and planning at both national and local levels, support targeted interventions to improve service delivery, guide resource allocation for local economic development, promote investment attraction and inter-council learning, and provide a benchmark for measuring performance over time.
The agencies said the initiative is aligned with international best practice, noting that countries such as Kenya, India, China and the Philippines have implemented similar subnational competitiveness assessments to improve local government performance, strengthen governance and attract investment.
Data collection is being conducted through face-to-face interviews using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) technology on tablet devices.
Trained ZIMSTAT enumerators are interviewing designated senior officials within local authorities, as well as businesses and households with access to the required information.
ZIMSTAT and the NCC appealed to local authorities, business member organisations, residents’ associations, businesses, residents and community leaders to cooperate with enumerators by providing accurate, complete and timely information.
The two institutions assured respondents that all information collected will be treated with strict confidentiality in accordance with the Census and Statistics Act [Chapter 10:29], adding that individual responses will not be disclosed and that survey results will only be published in aggregate form.
The agencies said the success of the RUCCI Survey depends on the cooperation of all stakeholders, adding that the exercise is expected to strengthen the evidence base for national and local development planning while enhancing Zimbabwe’s competitiveness agenda.
