Zimpapers Logo

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Harare City Council’s reaction time in acquiring essential equipment and goods has been slow in recent months owing to new procurement regulations which require various State departments and companies to go to tender even when buying small items like gloves and plastic bins.

Briefing residents at a meeting on Tuesday, acting finance director Mr Stanley Ndemera said the change-over from the State Procurement Board (SPB) to the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) has brought about some challenges.

He was responding to questions from representatives of residents associations who inquired why the city was failing to buy bins and other minor things needed for service delivery during a meeting on Tuesday.

“For the past four to five months we were trying to comply with the new regulations,” said Mr Ndemera.

“The process delayed the acquisition on many things required by council. We have now complied with a lot of things we now understand it. It is not as simple as before.

“That is the reason we did not have some things. The new requirements entail that everything even the smallest things go to tender so that we get competitive prices. That was the main challenge we had. It is something, which came on board quite recently.”

Mr Ndemera said as a result, the city’s reaction time was affected compromising service delivery.

He said the city, like other State enterprises, was now doing its own procurement under the supervision of PRAZ although there are certain systems, procedures and processes that must be put into place prior to the procurement.

“The change-over has brought about some challenges that is why you find that we have had challenges procuring some gloves and uniforms because it is strictly tendering, everything you buy goes to tender,” said Mr Ndemera.

“That is the challenge we have.”

Early this year, Government appointed the new regulatory authority PRAZ to deal with State procurement following the expiry of the term of office of the State Procurement Board.