Online Reporter
Dr Martin Rushwaya
PROCUREMENT is not merely an administrative function; it is a pivotal component in our programmatic ecosystem to achieve the national development targets under Vision 2030.
Additionally, it ensures that there is prudent stewardship of public resources, and delivery of quality services to our citizens, hence complying to the key tenets of good governance.
His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has steadfastly and consistently emphasised that good governance, transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources are quintessential enablers in attainment of Vision 2030: to transform Zimbabwe into a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society, hence the need for ensuring that public sector institutions are backstopped by modernised public procurement systems.
It is without doubt that Government procurement represents one of the largest components of public expenditure.
Globally, governments spend between 10 and 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through procurement.
In view of the foregoing, public procurement has a strong nexus with promotion of infrastructure development, public service delivery, industrialisation, employment creation and private sector growth.
Every dollar spent through procurement must therefore generate maximum value for the taxpayer while supporting national development priorities as articulated in the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2): 2026-2030.
NDS2 also recognises public procurement as a critical enabler of economic growth, infrastructure development, fiscal discipline and efficient public service delivery.
Procurement therefore cannot be viewed merely as an administrative process concerned with issuing tenders and awarding contracts. When procurement is efficient, citizens receive better services.
When procurement is transparent, public confidence in Government increases.
When procurement is competitive, taxpayers obtain greater value for money.
When procurement is properly managed, corruption is reduced, fiscal discipline is strengthened and national development accelerates.
Conversely, weak procurement systems result in delayed infrastructure projects, cost overruns, inefficient public expenditure, reduced investor confidence and diminished public trust.
The Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) assessment, initiated following Government’s invitation in April 2024 and formally launched in August 2025, has provided Zimbabwe with an objective, evidence-based assessment of our procurement landscape.
Completed in only eight months — well below the international average — this exercise demonstrates the dedication and professionalism of all institutions involved.
The assessment examined our procurement system against internationally recognised standards under four strategic pillars: the legal and regulatory framework; institutional capacity and management; procurement operations and market practices; and accountability, integrity and transparency.
The findings are comprehensive and instructive.
They reveal significant progress made since the enactment of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act and the establishment of PRAZ (Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ).
They equally identify important areas requiring urgent attention if Zimbabwe is to build a procurement system capable of supporting the ambitions of NDS2 and Vision 2030.
The assessment should therefore not be viewed as an audit of failure.
Rather, it is a roadmap for excellence.
It provides Government with a practical reform agenda founded upon evidence, international best practice and our own national development context and aspirations.
Indeed, the greatest strength of the MAPS process is that it shifts our attention from assumptions to facts, from compliance to performance and from isolated interventions to systemic reform.
Under the first pillar, concerning the legal, regulatory and policy framework, the assessment identified structural weaknesses that require legislative and policy refinement.
Among these are excessive reliance on direct procurement, insufficient legal recognition of mandatory electronic Government procurement, limited access to finance for suppliers and the absence of a comprehensive sustainable public procurement policy.
These affect market competition, reduce opportunities for local enterprises, constrain innovation and limit Government’s ability to maximise value for public expenditure.
Under the second pillar, relating to institutional framework and management capacity, the assessment highlights the need to strengthen institutional coordination, improve the integration of procurement with public financial management systems and enhance the professional capacity of procurement practitioners across Government.
Reliable information systems, timely payments, integrated digital platforms and competent procurement professionals are indispensable requirements for an efficient public procurement system.
Legal frameworks have advanced considerably and institutions must now advance at the same pace. The third pillar of the MAPS assessment, which examined procurement operations and market practices, reminds us that the true measure of a procurement system lies not in the elegance of its legislation but in the quality of its execution.
Here, the assessment identified significant gaps in procurement planning, market analysis, contract documentation, record management and the consistent application of procurement procedures.
These operational deficiencies inevitably result in project delays, avoidable costs and reduced value for money.
The fourth pillar, focusing on accountability, integrity and transparency, highlights perhaps the most fundamental ingredient of good governance — public trust.
Weaknesses relating to conflict-of-interest management, whistleblower protection, compliance with Auditor-General recommendations, internal audit capacity and stakeholder participation demonstrate that there remains considerable scope to strengthen the integrity architecture of our procurement system.
These findings should not discourage us.
Transformative reforms
On the contrary, they provide Government with an unprecedented opportunity to undertake bold, coordinated and transformative reforms that will position Zimbabwe among the continent’s leading performers in public procurement.
NDS2 places strong emphasis on efficient public expenditure, citizen-centred service delivery, digital transformation, accountability, private sector development and inclusive economic growth.
These are not independent priorities.
They are mutually reinforcing pillars of national transformation.
The MAPS assessment therefore comes at an opportune moment.
It provides Government with a practical implementation roadmap that directly supports the successful delivery of NDS2 and our national aspiration of attaining Vision 2030.
Every gap identified in this report must therefore be viewed as a strategic reform opportunity to re-invigorate the public procurement system going forward.
Every recommendation must translate into measurable institutional action.
As we move from diagnosis to implementation, Zimbabwe must also draw lessons from international experience.
Countries that have transformed their procurement systems did not achieve success through legislative reform alone.
They succeeded because they combined sound laws with institutional capacity, digital innovation, professional excellence, transparency, effective oversight and unwavering political commitment.
Government is therefore committed to implementing a comprehensive procurement reform programme that extends beyond addressing immediate weaknesses with an objective of establishing a procurement system that is modern, transparent, technology-driven, professionally managed and fully aligned with international best practice while responding to Zimbabwe’s own development priorities.
Government will accelerate the professionalisation of public procurement across the entire public sector.
Procurement has evolved into a specialised strategic discipline requiring expertise in economics, engineering, finance, commercial law, project management, contract administration, market intelligence, risk management and public policy.
It can no longer be regarded as a routine administrative function, but a highly technical area that has strong bearing on policy imperatives, influences economic growth, market competition and sustainable development.
Accordingly, Government will work closely with PRAZ, which established and launched the Southern Africa Public Procurement Training Academy (SAPPTA) and offers professional procurement courses.
The establishment of SAPPTA, together with universities and other professional bodies, should help in the establishment of a national procurement competency framework, strengthen continuous professional development programmes and promote internationally recognised certification standards for procurement practitioners.
Professional competence must become the foundation upon which procurement excellence is built.
Second, Government will strengthen procurement planning as a strategic management function.
International evidence consistently demonstrates that the greatest efficiencies in procurement are realised long before tenders are advertised.
Proper needs assessments, realistic budgeting, market analysis and early procurement planning significantly improve project outcomes while reducing unnecessary expenditure.
Every Ministry, Department, Agency, Constitutional Commission, Local Authority and State-Owned Enterprise will therefore be expected to institutionalise comprehensive annual procurement plans that are evidence-based, fully aligned with approved budgets and directly linked to NDS2 targets and institutional performance contracts.
Procurement planning must become proactive rather than reactive.
Third, Government will deepen the digital transformation of public procurement.
The introduction of the electronic Government Procurement (eGP) System marked a significant milestone in modernising public procurement in Zimbabwe.
However, digital transformation cannot simply involve replacing paper documents with electronic forms.
A fully integrated, end-to-end digital procurement ecosystem that connects procurement planning, tender publication, supplier registration, electronic bid submission, evaluation, contract award, contract management, supplier performance monitoring, payment processing and procurement analytics into one seamless national platform is envisaged.
Such integration will significantly improve efficiency, strengthen transparency, reduce opportunities for malpractice, enhance fiscal discipline and provide real-time information for strategic decision-making.
Inclusive economic development
Fourth, Government will harness procurement data as a strategic national resource.
In today’s knowledge-driven economy, data has become one of Government’s most valuable strategic assets.
Countries with high-performing procurement systems increasingly rely on procurement analytics to understand spending patterns, monitor supplier performance, identify market concentration, detect procurement risks and strengthen policy formulation.
Zimbabwe must follow this path.
Government will therefore strengthen procurement information management, data governance and business intelligence capabilities to support evidence-based decision-making across the entire procurement cycle.
Fifth, Government remains fully committed to ensuring that public procurement contributes meaningfully to inclusive economic development.
Public procurement represents one of Government’s most powerful instruments for supporting domestic industry, empowering small and medium enterprises, promoting youth and women-owned businesses and expanding opportunities for historically disadvantaged communities.
Accordingly, Government will continue reviewing procurement policies to simplify bidding procedures, reduce unnecessary administrative barriers, improve access to procurement opportunities and strengthen access to affordable financing for local enterprises.
Every public procurement dollar should contribute not only to service delivery but also to economic empowerment, industrial growth and employment creation.
Public procurement must become an engine for inclusive national development, leaving no one and no place behind.
Sixth, Government will progressively institutionalise sustainable public procurement as an integral component of national development policy.
Across the world, governments are increasingly leveraging public procurement to promote environmental sustainability, climate resilience, energy efficiency, innovation and social inclusion.
Public expenditure must not only deliver infrastructure and services for today but also contribute to building a resilient and sustainable economy for future generations.
In this regard, Government will develop a National Sustainable Public Procurement Framework that encourages environmentally responsible procurement practices, promotes resource efficiency, supports local innovation and advances the transition towards a green economy.
In doing so, Zimbabwe will align its procurement practices with global sustainability standards while remaining responsive to our national development priorities.
Seventh, Government will strengthen contract management across the entire public sector.
International experience consistently demonstrates that significant value is lost not during the tendering process, but after contracts have been awarded.
Weak supervision, inadequate performance monitoring, poor variation management and delayed dispute resolution often undermine otherwise well-designed procurement processes.
Accordingly, Government will strengthen contract administration systems throughout ministries, departments, agencies, local authorities and State-owned enterprises.
Greater emphasis will be placed on performance monitoring, quality assurance, timely completion of projects and supplier performance evaluation.
Public procurement is fundamentally about stewardship of public resources.
Every dollar entrusted to Government carries with it a solemn responsibility to deliver maximum public value.
Accordingly, integrity shall remain the cornerstone of our procurement reforms.
Government will therefore reinforce ethical standards throughout the procurement cycle by strengthening conflict-of-interest regulations, enhancing declaration requirements, improving whistleblower protection mechanisms, strengthening audit follow-up processes and expanding public disclosure of procurement information.
Accountability must move beyond compliance towards measurable performance.
Government will establish clear procurement performance indicators that will enable us to monitor implementation of the MAPS Action Plan, benchmark progress against international standards and regularly report achievements to Cabinet and the nation.
The implementation of procurement reforms will therefore form part of the broader Whole-of-Government performance management system, ensuring that procurement performance contributes directly to institutional performance contracts, service delivery improvement and the broader national development outcomes.
I wish, in particular, to acknowledge the African Development Bank for its invaluable technical and financial support throughout the MAPS assessment process.
Their partnership demonstrated the importance of international cooperation in strengthening public institutions and promoting sustainable development across our continent.
The era of treating procurement as a back-office function has come to an end.
It must now occupy its rightful place within strategic public sector management.
Within the next twelve months, Government expects measurable progress in four strategic priority areas.
First, the strengthening of the legal and policy framework to fully support electronic Government procurement and modern procurement practices.
Second, the institutionalisation of comprehensive procurement planning across all public entities.
Third, enhanced transparency through expanded publication of procurement and contract information.
Fourth, strengthened implementation of audit recommendations and measurable improvements in procurement performance across Government.
These priorities will be monitored through clearly defined performance indicators and reported regularly to Cabinet as part of Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.
Together, let us build a procurement system that supports industrialisation, strengthens public confidence, empowers local enterprises and accelerates the realisation of Vision 2030.
Dr Martin Rushwaya is the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet. He made these remarks on Friday during the dissemination of the Methodology For Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) report in Harare.
