Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve [email protected]
GOVERNMENT has urged procurement stakeholders to ensure that major infrastructure investments go beyond the signing of contracts, procurement and construction, but instead deliver the intended economic and social benefits to the people, in line with Vision 2030.
Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) 12th Annual Conference in Victoria Falls on Thursday, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, said procurement should be viewed as a strategic instrument for national development rather than a mere administrative function.
Dr Rushwaya, who was represented by the Chief Director of Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Michael Musanzikwa, said the theme of the conference,
“Future-Ready Procurement: Building Resilient, Sustainable and Digitally Driven Supply Chains,” was both timely and strategically important.
“As Government, we view procurement not simply as an administrative or transactional function, but as an important instrument through which national development ambitions are translated into tangible outcomes,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya emphasised that with Zimbabwe having entered the implementation phase of the Second National Development Strategy (NDS2) 2026-2030, there must be a clear and unbroken line between Vision 2030, institutional strategic plans, budgets, procurement plans, contracts and measurable development outcomes.
“The challenge is not simply to have a sound national development strategy. The greater challenge is to ensure that the strategy is effectively implemented,” he said.
“A national development objective must ultimately be translated into a clearly defined requirement. Procurement, therefore, sits within the broader architecture of national development delivery. This calls for a Whole-of-Government approach.”
Dr Rushwaya said before any project reaches the market, institutions must answer fundamental questions regarding the development problem being addressed, expected outcomes, affordability and implementation risks.
“We must judge major infrastructure investments not merely by whether the project was procured and constructed, but by whether it is delivering the intended economic and social benefits,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya also stressed the need for better project preparation, sustainable financing, and clear plans for operating and maintaining assets after construction, warning against focusing heavily on contract signing while neglecting implementation.
“Contract signing is not the completion of development. It is the beginning of implementation. The real achievement is a functioning asset, service or programme that delivers the intended public value,” he said
Dr Rushwaya highlighted the role of procurement in strengthening domestic productive capacity, urging that capable local enterprises, including SMEs, youth-led businesses, and women-owned enterprises, be given meaningful opportunities to participate in supply chains.
“Supporting local enterprise must go hand in hand with quality, competitiveness, transparency and value for money. The objective should not be to compromise standards, but to build capability,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya further called for a shift in mindset, urging procurement professionals to move from transaction-focused activities to strategic supply-chain management and from short-term acquisition to lifecycle value. He underscored the importance of contract management, digital transformation, and sustainability in the procurement ecosystem.
“Value for money must not be reduced simply to obtaining the lowest initial price. The real issue is whether public resources are being used to secure the required quality, performance, durability and service at a reasonable total lifecycle cost,” he said.
Dr Rushwaya also emphasised that resilience and sustainability must be central to procurement planning, ensuring that today’s investments remain productive for future generations.
“None of these reforms can succeed without the right human capital. Systems do not implement themselves; people implement systems,” Dr Rushwaya said, commending CIPS Zimbabwe for providing a platform for continuous professional development.
He said development is ultimately about people who experience the outcomes of procurement through improved infrastructure and services.
“The citizen does not experience a procurement process but experiences the road, the hospital, the school or the water system. Our responsibility is to ensure that every dollar committed and every contract entered into is connected to a clear and measurable development purpose,” said Dr Rushwaya.
He urged the delegates to ensure their deliberations contributed meaningfully to strengthening Zimbabwe’s procurement and supply-chain ecosystem in support of NDS2 and Vision 2030.
