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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter

THE Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) has started working on proposed regulations for professional development of persons charged with public procurement to ensure high ethical standards, effective monitoring and supervision of public entities.

This follows a general notice carried in the Government Gazette published last week advising that the Vice President, responsible for procurement, intends to enact regulations that promote training and professional development of public procurement personnel.

The requirement to craft procurement regulations governing State-owned or controlled entities is in line with statutory requirements of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act.

PRAZ chief executive Mr Nyasha Chizu issued a statement yesterday notifying on the requirements to comply with the statutory instruments on regulations of training of persons in public procurement and regulations on compliance, monitoring and evaluation.

Section 6 (1) (h) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act provides that the authority shall, “promote the training and professional development of persons engaged in public procurement so as to ensure adherence to high ethical standards.”

Further, Section 70 of the Act requires that procurement officers adhere to a specific standard specified in the code of conduct provided in the regulations. The proposed procurement regulations provide for establishment of the professionalisation committee of Zimbabwe, categorisation of membership to the committee, provision of licences to practice and craft the framework for establishing disciplinary procedures.

Whereas, compliance, monitoring and evaluation regulations are aimed at providing mandatory reports and penalties for non-compliance and reviews to ensure compliance with the Act that shall be done by the authority.

It also provides for the review process, investigation procedures and general provision on the requirement for compliance. It was further stated that Section 6 (1) (a) and b of the same Act provides for the authority to ensure that public procurement is effected in a manner that is transparent, fair, honest, cost-effective and competitive.

Further, the authority is expected to monitor and supervise procuring entities and to implement electronic means of monitoring and supervising.

Previously, the State Procurement Board (SPB) (now PRAZ) was responsible for facilitating public procurement, but has been reformed following reports of rampant corruption in the awarding of tenders.