Govt seeks procurement efficiency
GOVERNMENT is set to repeal and replace the Public Procurement Act, No. 12 of 2008 once Parliament resumes to enhance mechanisms that will increase the procurement system’s efficiency, transparency and accountability.
Government has also approved the money laundering and terrorist financing national risk assessment report for Zambia.
This follows Cabinet’s approval at its 13th meeting held at Sate House this month.
According to Minister of Information and Broadcasting Kampamba Mulenga the Public Procurement Act No.12 of 2008 was inadequate in dealing with many issues of public procurement, hence the need for the amendment.
Ms. Mulenga said in a statement that the new Bill was aimed at strengthening the regulation of public procurement in Zambia as well as incorporate international best practices in the procurement system.
“The Public Procurement Act No.12 of 2008 was inadequate in dealing with many issues of public procurement.
Therefore, it needs to be amended to provide for a more efficient, effective, transparent and accountable public procurement system,” she said.
She explained that the amendment was necessary to address issues that were not provided for in the existing legislation such as high value procurements, assignment of procurement contracts and benchmarked prices for common user items.
Ms. Mulenga further explained that the Bill was envisaged to be presented in Parliament during the next sitting, scheduled for September 2017.
Meanwhile, Ms. Mulenga said Government and other stakeholders would now be more targeted in the application of scare resources in the fight against money laundering following the approval by Cabinet for a national risk assessment report for Zambia.
Ms. Mulenga explained that this decision would assist stakeholders to be up-to-date with financing of terrorism and other financial crimes by employing a risk based approach to ensure that measures to prevent or mitigate money laundering activities are commensurate with risks identified.