Paul Nyathi
VICE President Constantine Chiwenga has issued new regulations which will see the awarding of tenders to “locals” in a development that will likely see ZANU PF inclined persons making killings from the tenders.
The announcement comes after ZANU PF spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa early this week declared that the ruling party was finalising preparing a document that will see the party involved in the lucrative government procurement business.
“We are going to unpack this 19-page document and we are going to liaise with the Chief Secretary (in the Office of the President and Cabinet) which ministry should do what, in which sector,” he said.
“If we are talking about mines, we will set out what empowerment tools must be implemented in the mining sector. A very key issue, we want to know the procurement bill of government, government as you know is the biggest procurer when you consider and compare its services to the cooperate sector.
“Now we want to know who is supplying what to government and come up with policies that empower locals so that they must be able to be empowered by their own government through supplying procurement contracts.
“Where possible, we want to know who is supplying to government and build on that to empower our people in an honest and transparent manner.
“If we develop a process to empower our people through government, it has to be on the basis that is transparent, it’s competitive in terms of price and it’s competitive in terms of quality.”
Chiwenga under Statutory Instrument 219 of 2020, Procurement Management Units (PMUs) (departments which undertake purchasing on behalf of government departments) instructed to allocate tenders under specific thresholds to Zimbabweans only.
“The Honorable Vice President responsible for Procurement, in consultation with the Finance Minister (Mthuli Ncube) and in terms of section 101 of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23] and after consulting with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, has amended the regulations,” said Chiwenga in the SI.
The policy will be applicable for contracts worth an equivalent of US$20 000 up to US$5 million dollar for construction works.