‘Corruption affects economic turnaround programmes’
CORRUPTION through failure to adhere to laid-down procurement procedures has adversely affected Government development and economic turnaround programmes, Vice-President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
In a speech read on his behalf by Minister for Information, Communication and Technology and Courier Services Cde Supa Mandiwanzira during the official opening of the Zimbabwe Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) annual conference at Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga yesterday, Vice-President Mnangagwa said vices within the procurement and supply sector had led Government in doing away with the Procurement Act (22: 14) of 2002 and adopting more efficient procurement methods.
“With regards to public procurement in Zimbabwe, there have been a number of adverse reports by the Auditor-General on failure to adhere to laid-down procurement procedures in some instances, impacting negatively on the implementation of Government projects and programmes and reducing returns on tax payers’ money.
“Such problems as weak and outdated procurement procedures, lack of accountability and transparency and in some cases, clear fraud and corruption cases have been reported.
“Most of these problems have also been linked with bureaucratic and inefficient procurement processes and excessive authority of State Procurement Board (SPB).
“It is for this reason that Government has done away with the Procurement Act (22:14) of 220 and is adopting more efficient procurement methods such as electronic procurement (E-Procurement),” he said.
The Vice-President said Government was already in the process of enacting new legislation to improve on efficiency in procurement.
“As Government we have taken radical measures to correct and stop malpractices by introducing the new Public and Procurement Reform Programme through the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Bill of 2017.
“Government is seriously committed to the enforcement and adherence of the legislative instruments that inhibit and condemn procurement corruption. In this new dispensation everyone is expected to comply with the standards,” he added.
The theme of the 2017 CIPS annual conference is “Sustainable Procurement for Economic Turnaround.”.