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Oliver Kazunga and Blessings Chidakwa

THE GOVERNMENT is continuing to implement various initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide that exists in marginalised communities by increasing their participation in national development programmes.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said this while officially launching a partnership programme between the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) and Zimbabwe Posts (Zimpost) at Nkulumane Post Office in Bulawayo yesterday.

The initiative will see PRAZ offering online services to suppliers at all post offices and community information centres countrywide.

The accommodation of public procurement centres at all Zimpost offices and community information centres will result in public procurement registration services being offered.

VP Chiwenga said he was delighted that the partnership was riding on the vision of President Mnangagwa of closing the digital divide through the increased participation of marginalised communities in national development programmes.

“The reforms in public procurement aim to achieve an efficient, fair, transparent and competitive public procurement system in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“This means that no eligible bidder contractor or consultant should be left out of bidding for services or goods advertised due to non-registration with PRAZ as a result of the remote location or location of access to the digital technology.”

The latest development is in sync with the Second Republic’s devolution agenda, which dovetails with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1), a five-year economic blue print which builds to the attainment of an upper middle-income economy status by 2030.

Under Vision 2030, Government seeks to achieve a Gross Domestic Product per capita of US$3 500 from the 2018 levels of US$1 720.

VP Chiwenga said the participation of bidders throughout the country promotes competition for delivery of goods and services resulting in competitive pricing and value for money in public procurement.

He said the Government has identified devolution as a key pillar to achieving a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030, thus under the devolution programme citizens are involved in setting the development agenda for their communities.

“The public procurement service centres, therefore, will provide bidders with access to services for registration as suppliers for public entities,” said VP Chiwenga. “Thereafter, it provides an opportunity for bidders to participate in the countrywide bidding process, both at the local and national levels.

“This is part of devolving and empowering the previously marginalised communities to ensure that no-one and no place is left behind in our national development process.”

As enshrined in NDS1, said VP Chiwenga, the Government will provide structures that allow citizens to participate in development planning and this dovetails with the tenets of the Constitution through devolution and decentralisation.

“Devolution will not delegate powers and responsibilities only to competent provincial or metropolitan councils and local authorities, but also to the communities to enhance their participation in the public procurement by sub national governance structures,” he said.

“The role of technology and importance of access to the Internet has become obvious. The internet is a tool that people rely on to conduct their daily business, as well as interact with each other, the economy and Government.

“However, most marginalised communities do not have access to the digital facilities, hence the Government came up with the community information centres.”

VP Chiwenga said the partnership between the two State-owned agencies will not only reduce the digital divide, but also extend equal opportunities for all citizens to register as suppliers with PRAZ.

PRAZ registration will be facilitated through 236 post offices, 146 community information centres and 35 containerised village information centres countrywide.

“Over and above, creating employment these initiatives will empower every potential bidder to participate in national, thereby promoting, competition, increasing transparency and improving the quality and effectiveness of service delivery,” said VP Chiwenga.

The partnership between the two State-owned enterprises, he said, was also an epitome of how the Second Republic was harnessing the power of digital platforms to improve service delivery, broadening inclusivity and creating a level playing field for all bidders across the country.

“It is a solid demonstration of how our Government is rolling out development empowerment programmes in line with the wise pronouncement by our President that “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo (A nation is built by its custodians),” he said.

VP Chiwenga highlighted that Section 29 of the Public Procurement and Disposable of Public Assets Act (Chapter 22:23) outlines the requirements for domestic preference when procurement entities are evaluating bids.

In this case, he said procurement entities may give preference to bids from Zimbabweans or local suppliers and manufacturers.

“Such preference treatment is extended to suppliers and manufacturers who are women and youths, those living with disabilities or entities controlled predominantly by same, thus unlocking Government procurement for businesses owned by marginalized people or communities could be one route of extending the benefits of economic development to those communities,” said VP Chiwenga.

“Our Government is determined to ensure that economic empowerment is inclusive and cross-cutting. The opportunities of more economic agents particularly Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are increasing.”

“This will contribute significantly to employment creation and poverty alleviation while increasing gender equality given that women-owned businesses dominate the SMEs sub-sector.”

In this context, VP Chiwenga urged SMEs and women-owned businesses to participate in public procurement processes having registered with PRAZ at the Zimpost offices, community information centres and containerised community information centres.

Speaking at the same occasion, Information, Communication Technology, Postal, and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said his ministry was prioritising a digital economy to promote the 4th Industrial Revolution agenda.

“Part of our revolution as young people is the fourth industrial revolution,” he said. “Our revolution is based on the use of ICT and as part of the foundation to improve on service delivery, Government has embarked on the maximum utilisation of e-Government platforms in order to ensure that we leave no-one behind and no place behind.”