Bulawayo, (New Ziana) – Public procurement must evolve from a routine administrative function into a strategic tool for economic transformation, job creation and inclusive development, a top official of the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) has said.
Speaking at the 5th Annual Public Procurement Symposium at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC) on Wednesday, PRAZ chief executive officer, Dr Clever Ruswa, said procurement should play a central role in achieving the country’s development objectives under the National Development Strategy (NDS 2).
The two day symposium is running under theme “Public Procurement as a Strategic Catalyst: Driving Inclusion and Sustainable Economic Transformation”.
It brought together government officials, procuring entities, private sector players and development partners.
“Procurement is not merely administrative processing, it is a national development instrument. When procurement is well governed, it builds jobs, strengthens industries, expands access to opportunities, improves service delivery and protects public resources,” said Ruswa.
He said the authority was seeking to reposition procurement from a compliance-driven exercise to one focused on measurable developmental outcomes.
“We must move from compliance language to outcome language. Procuring entities and bidders must understand that procurement success is measured not by activity, but by impact,” he said.
Ruswa highlighted the need to broaden participation in public tenders by small and medium enterprises, women, youths and war veterans, saying inclusion should be embedded within procurement systems.
“Inclusion is not a slogan, it is a system feature. We must identify and remove barriers that limit participation, including information gaps, capacity constraints, procedural bottlenecks and inconsistent application of standards,” he explained.
Ruswa emphasized that PRAZ would continue strengthening enforcement and guidance mechanisms to ensure greater access to procurement opportunities for previously disadvantaged groups.
He also underscored the importance of using public procurement to improve social outcomes, particularly in health, education and water, sanitation and hygiene services.
He also called for wider adoption of sustainable and environmentally conscious procurement practices to help build resilience and reduce long-term costs.
“Sustainability must be integrated into planning and sourcing decisions through lifecycle costing, sustainable procurement principles and attention to environmental and climate-related risks,” Ruswa said.
He also said public trust depended on the integrity of procurement systems and warned against corruption and malpractice.
“We will continue to address fraud and corruption risks with practical safeguards, not assumptions. Oversight and audit mechanisms must be effective, and procurement processes must be open, fair and credible,” he said.
Public procurement accounts for a significant share of government expenditure and is increasingly being viewed globally as a tool for promoting industrial development, supporting local businesses, creating employment and advancing sustainable development goals.
New Ziana
