Londile Moyo
Judith Phiri in Nyanga [email protected]
THE Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating gender inclusion, building capacity, and strengthening integrity for women in procurement.
Delivering welcome remarks at the PRAZ Women in Procurement Conference 2026 in Nyanga on Wednesday, PRAZ chief executive officer Dr Clever Ruswa emphasized the strategic role of procurement in economic transformation.
“When knowledge is shared widely and equitably, we create a procurement system that is not only efficient and transparent, but also just and inclusive. For this conference, we meet under the banner ‘Driving Value and Impact.’ This phrase is not a platitude for a stage, but a call to action,” he said.
Dr Ruswa highlighted that structured procurement policies stimulate local industries, support small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs and professionals. “As the global conversation on gender equality reminds us, when women thrive, communities thrive. Our procurement policies must reflect that truth,” he added.
He noted that the new supplier registration categories, which came into effect on 13 January 2026, facilitate ease of doing business for all groups in society. The collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development aims to identify women-owned organisations for public procurement opportunities.
“The Affirmative Procurement Guidelines, developed through wide national consultations in 2024 and validated in 2025, are now a cornerstone of our approach. These guidelines create a clear framework to ensure that women-owned businesses and other special interest groups are visible and competitive in procurement opportunities,” Dr Ruswa said.
He added that deliberate actions by procuring entities are key to ensuring inclusion when evaluating tenders. Capacity building has also been advanced through the Southern Africa Public Procurement Training Academy (SAPPTA), offering tailor‑made programmes for procurement practitioners and entrepreneurs, covering technical skills, bid preparation, contract management, and compliance.
“On integrity, we continue our collaboration with the Zimbabwe Anti‑Corruption Commission and other bodies. Transparency and accountability remain the bedrock of value for money. We are strengthening integrity committees across procuring entities to reduce leakages and create an environment where merit and fairness prevail. Sustainable Procurement Guidelines were finalised and rolled out last week,” he said.
The two-day conference, running under the theme “Knowledge Sharing,” features speakers addressing challenges and interventions for women in procurement, strategic procurement trends (2026 and beyond), digital procurement, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and other relevant topics.
Online Reporter