Story by Theophilus Chuma
THE Government is strengthening transparency, accountability and efficiency in public spending through plans to introduce a fully integrated digital procurement ecosystem linking procurement planning, tender publication, supplier registration, electronic bid submission and contract management.
The reforms follow the launch of the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) by Vice President General (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga a fortnight ago. The framework, which seeks to improve efficiency and accountability in public procurement, was the focus of a dissemination workshop hosted by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) in Harare this Friday.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya said Government is envisaging an end-to-end digital procurement platform that integrates every stage of the procurement cycle.
“A fully integrated, end-to-end digital procurement ecosystem that connects procurement planning, tender publication, supplier registration, electronic bid submission, evaluation, contract award, contract management, supplier performance monitoring, payment processing and procurement analytics into one seamless national platform is envisaged. Such integration will significantly improve efficiency, strengthen transparency, reduce opportunities for malpractice and enhance fiscal discipline,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya said Government also intends to harness procurement data as a strategic national resource to improve spending analysis, supplier performance monitoring, risk detection and policy formulation.
Under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), he said, Government will continue reviewing procurement policies to simplify bidding procedures, improve access to procurement opportunities and strengthen support for local enterprises.
“Government procurement should contribute not only to service delivery but also to economic empowerment, industrial growth and employment creation. Public procurement must become an engine for inclusive national development, leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.
He added that Government will progressively institutionalise sustainable public procurement by promoting environmental sustainability, climate resilience, energy efficiency and innovation while strengthening contract management to ensure value for money.
PRAZ Chief Executive Officer, Dr Clever Ruswa, said the MAPS framework and the Electronic Government Procurement System are critical tools for reducing corruption, closing loopholes and improving efficiency.
“The Electronic Government Procurement System was designed to improve efficiency and address many of these challenges. By linking it with public finance management systems, we can close existing loopholes. We are also integrating artificial intelligence under the national AI strategy to further improve efficiency,” he said.
Dr Ruswa said collaboration among stakeholders is essential to ensure public procurement remains aligned with national development priorities.
Public procurement accounts for about 17 percent of gross domestic product in most African economies, with Government viewing an efficient, transparent and accountable procurement system as a key driver of economic growth, industrial development and sustainable national development.
