RBZ Launches Five-Year Stakeholder Service Charter To Boost Trust

RBZ Makes Major Service Pledge With New Charter

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has launched a comprehensive five-year Stakeholder Service Charter, pledging a new era of efficient, transparent, and responsive service delivery to all its partners and the public. Unveiled in August 2025, the 2025-2029 charter serves as a public pledge from the central bank to uphold high standards and strengthen trust as it pursues its national mandate.

Governor Dr J. Mushayavanhu, in his foreword to the charter, stated the institution’s firm commitment.

“This charter outlines the Reserve Bank’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of service delivery, leveraging the immense skills and vast experience endowed in its dedicated staff.”

The document affirms the RBZ’s commitment to delivering high-quality services to a diverse range of stakeholders, including government entities, financial institutions, international organisations, businesses, and the general public. The central bank says its approach is consistent with its overarching vision of becoming an ‘Innovative World-Class Central Bank’.

A Framework For Accountability And Excellence

The purpose of the charter is clearly defined within the document. According to the Stakeholder Service Charter, its primary aim is to “articulate the Reserve Bank’s commitment to high-quality service delivery by clearly defining service standards, setting expectations, and promoting transparency regarding its responsibility to stakeholders.”

The charter is not merely a statement of intent but is designed to be a practical guide for staff and a benchmark for the public. It details specific service standards across all the bank’s divisions, from the Office of the Governor to Banking Operations and Fintech Innovation. For instance, the bank commits to responding to the Governor’s correspondence within 48 hours, processing certain licensing applications within 60 days, and maintaining a 95% uptime for the national payment systems.

The RBZ has emphasised that the charter will support its long-term goals. The bank stated that its “continued efforts to enhance the quality of stakeholder service delivery will effectively contribute to macroeconomic stabilisation in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy.”

Walking The Talk On Service Delivery

The launch of the charter has been positioned as a key part of the RBZ’s broader engagement strategy. In a public notice, the bank reiterated its dedication to its core values, encapsulated in the acronym MISTIC: Mutual-Respect & Teamwork, Integrity, Sustainability, Transparency, Innovativeness, and Commitment.

The bank framed the charter as a cornerstone of its mission, stating:

“As we walk the talk and stay the course, this Charter serves as a cornerstone in our journey to durably anchor and consolidate macroeconomic stability.”

The charter also formalises the bank’s complaints handling process, providing stakeholders with a clear pathway to escalate unresolved issues, first to the Director of Corporate Affairs, then to the Deputy Governors, and finally to the Governor’s office, with each stage having a defined turnaround time for acknowledgement and resolution.

The document will run for five years and be reviewed annually to incorporate stakeholder feedback and reflect changes in the operational environment. This launch coincides with other RBZ initiatives, such as a perception and confidence survey on the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency, which is running until December 2025.