Background: Since 2000, results based financing (RBF) has proliferated in health sectors in Africa in particular,
including in fragile and conflict affected settings (FCAS) and there is a growing but still contested literature about
its relevance and effectiveness. Less examined are the political economy factors behind the adoption of the RBF
policy, as well as the shifts in influence and resources which RBF may bring about. In this article, we examine these
two topics, focusing on Zimbabwe, which has rolled out RBF nationwide in the health system since 2011, with
external support.
