Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE implementation of the electronic Government Procurement (eGP) system has broken down geographical and logistical barriers, empowering small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) from previously marginalised and rural areas to compete fairly for national tenders.
The eGP system, launched by the Government and managed by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz), is an online platform designed to automate public procurement processes, enhance transparency and promote fair competition among bidders regardless of their location.
Speaking during the recent 5th General Assembly of the African Public Procurement Network (APPN) in Victoria Falls, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa said the digital platform had re-engineered Zimbabwe’s procurement landscape, creating equal opportunities for all businesses.
“A small-to-medium enterprise in Binga or Beitbridge can now compete for a national tender on an equal footing with a firm in Harare, provided they meet the requirements. It allows a small business in a remote location to compete on an equal footing with a firm in Harare for a Government tender, provided they meet the requisite standards,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said this shift reflects the Government’s strategic investment in digital innovation, aimed at ensuring that public funds are used efficiently, transparently, and for the maximum benefit of citizens.
The eGP system replaces the old manual procurement process, which was often slow, opaque, and prone to manipulation, with a centralised digital platform for tendering, bidding and contract management.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa noted that public procurement accounts for about 17 percent of Africa’s GDP, underlining the importance of ensuring integrity and efficiency in the sector.
“We did not just theorise about innovation, we funded it. It was a fundamental re-engineering of our procurement landscape with an agenda to drive transparency, leaving no room for the dark corners where corruption and inefficiency can thrive,” he said.
The system has not only promoted fairness but also significantly enhanced operational efficiency. The adoption of the eGP system has improved operational efficiency, allowing public projects to start sooner, services to be delivered faster and better value for money to be achieved.
By digitising the entire procurement cycle, the system reduces paperwork, shortens processing times, and minimises human interference — key factors that have historically delayed projects and inflated costs.
The eGP rollout aligns with the APPN assembly’s theme: “Transforming Public Procurement through Innovation, Inclusion, Sustainability and Regional Collaboration.”
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa described the system as the digital backbone supporting these pillars, enabling Zimbabwe to integrate sustainability criteria and harmonise procurement practices across borders under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
He also highlighted complementary institutional reforms, including the establishment of Praz and the launch of the Southern Africa Public Procurement Training Academy (SAPPTA), as evidence of the Government’s political will to modernise the sector.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa urged delegates to be both practical and ambitious, using Zimbabwe’s eGP experience as a model of how innovation can drive meaningful change in public sector management across the continent.
