Zimbabwe: Can Mthuli Ncube Deliver? Expectations High Ahead of 2026 Mid-Term Budget Review

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a New Zimbabwe report dated 30 July 2026, says Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is due to deliver Zimbabwe’s 2026 Mid-Term Budget Review later today. The presentation is being watched for possible policy measures for the second half of the year, as the government faces pressure to translate improving headline economic indicators into relief for households.

According to the report, Zimbabwe’s 2026 growth is projected at 4.3% to 5%, while inflation has eased. New Zimbabwe cited Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency data showing annual ZWG inflation at 3.2% and monthly inflation at 0.1%. The article also noted that the International Monetary Fund recently completed the first review of Zimbabwe’s Staff-Monitored Programme, saying key quantitative targets had been met, while warning that risks remain.

The review is expected to address concerns over incomes and public services. The 2026 national budget kept the tax-free threshold at US$100 a month, or ZWG2,800 a month, a level critics say has fallen behind living costs. Ncube is also expected to update funding for health and education. New Zimbabwe cited Afrobarometer findings that 70% of Zimbabweans worry a lot about being unable to access or afford medical care, and ministry figures indicating about 40,000 pupils left school in 2025, with school fees among the main reasons.

Other anticipated issues include youth unemployment, food security and agricultural support. ZimStat estimates cited in the report put the number of unemployed or underemployed young people at more than two million, with returning Zimbabweans from South Africa adding pressure to the labour market. Analysts also expect attention to drought risks, grain import arrangements and strategic reserves.