Source: ‘Transparency key in procurement systems’ – herald

Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga delivers his keynote address at the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe Conference in Harare yesterday. —Picture: Charles Muchakagara

Mukudzei Chingwere

Senior Reporter

Public procurement should be anchored on integrity, with governments across the region being guided by transparency, accountability and disciplined oversight in handling public spending, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has said.

He was speaking at the opening of the inaugural Southern African Public Procurement Forum and the launch of the Zimbabwe Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems Report 2026 in Harare yesterday.

The theme of this forum is: “Transforming public procurement for sustainable growth and regional integration in Southern Africa.”

It reflects the region’s collective determination to strengthen governance systems, improve service delivery, stimulate economic growth and deepen regional co‑operation.

VP Chiwenga said procurement challenges were not confined to technical shortcomings, pointing to risks such as direct procurement abuse, conflict of interest and limited public participation.

The regional agenda had, therefore, to be grounded in strong institutions, political commitment and effective enforcement mechanisms, particularly as economies become increasingly interconnected under SADC and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“Digital transformation represents one of the greatest opportunities for strengthening public procurement systems within our region,” said VP Chiwenga.

“However, technology alone cannot substitute integrity, accountability and ethical leadership. They must strengthen transparency, enhance accountability and improve efficiency across the procurement cycle.”

He said many of the challenges confronting public procurement, including direct procurement abuse, conflict of interest and limited public participation, are not solely technical in nature.

“They require strong institutions, political commitment and effective enforcement mechanisms. Without effective compliance systems, even the most well-crafted legal frameworks and efficient technologies risk becoming ineffective in practice,” said VP Chiwenga.

He reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability and the prudent management of public resources, saying no procurement process should be beyond scrutiny.

“Public trust must remain the cornerstone of public administration. I, therefore, urge Member States across Southern Africa to strengthen procurement authorities, build institutional capacity, protect whistleblowers acting in the public interest and adequately support anti-corruption initiatives.

“Strong institutions remain the foundation of sustainable development and good governance. We must build procurement systems that inspire confidence, safeguard public resources and accelerate development across our region,” said VP Chiwenga.

He noted Zimbabwe’s performance in assessing its procurement systems, saying the country had completed a comprehensive national assessment within eight months, faster than the global benchmark of 18 months for an extensive four-pillar evaluation.

VP Chiwenga said this achievement demonstrated Zimbabwe’s commitment to reform, institutional strengthening and continuous improvement.

The findings, addressing accountability systems, electronic government procurement, legal frameworks and sustainable procurement practices, would guide evidence-based renewal and innovation.

“The Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems Report for 2026, which I have the honour of officially launching today, identifies areas requiring further attention, particularly in accountability systems, Electronic Government Procurement legal frameworks and sustainable procurement practices,” VP Chiwenga said.

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