Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]
THE City of Bulawayo is sending a strong delegation to the 5th Annual Public Procurement Symposium scheduled for June 10 and 11 at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo, as the local authority seeks to strengthen procurement efficiency, transparency and compliance.
The council’s participation follows an invitation from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) chief executive officer, Dr Clever Ruswa.
The symposium will run under the theme “Public Procurement as a Strategic Catalyst: Driving Inclusion and Sustainable Economic Transformation.”
Council will be represented by a delegation comprising the chairperson of the Finance and Development Committee, the deputy chairperson of the committee, five members of staff from the Procurement Management Unit and 10 evaluation committee members.
According to the council latest report, the two-day event will bring together procurement practitioners, policymakers and public sector institutions to discuss emerging trends and reforms in public procurement.
Deliberations during the symposium will focus on key priority areas including inclusive public procurement for broad-based economic participation, procurement for social impact and improved service delivery, sustainable and green public procurement practices, standardisation and efficiency in public procurement systems, strengthening transparency, integrity and accountability, as well as digital transformation and data-driven procurement.
Council said participation in the symposium would provide valuable opportunities for institutional learning and professional development.
“Council stood to benefit significantly from representation at the symposium through enhanced capacity building, exposure to current public procurement trends and regulatory developments, as well as the sharing of best practices with other public sector institutions,” council said.
“The symposium would provide participants with valuable insights into innovative procurement strategies, digital transformation and sustainable procurement practices that could assist Council in addressing existing procurement challenges and improving service delivery.”
The local authority added that the symposium would create a platform for engagement with key stakeholders in the procurement sector.
“Furthermore, the networking opportunities presented at the symposium would enable Council officials to engage with procurement professionals, policymakers and regulatory authorities, thereby strengthening institutional knowledge, promoting compliance and enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability in Council procurement processes.”
Public procurement has become an increasingly important governance and economic development tool, with authorities seeking to ensure that procurement systems deliver value for money, support local industry development and promote sustainable economic growth.
The symposium comes at a time when Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to modernise public procurement systems through greater adoption of digital technologies, improved compliance frameworks and enhanced transparency measures aimed at strengthening accountability in the use of public resources.
