Public procurement should move beyond routine compliance and become a strategic tool for economic transformation, inclusion and sustainable development, Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Clever Ruswa has said.

Speaking at the opening of the 5th Annual Public Procurement Symposium at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC) in Bulawayo onTuesday, Dr. Ruswa urged procurement professionals, government institutions and private sector players to view procurement as a national development instrument capable of creating jobs, strengthening local industries and improving public service delivery.

“Public procurement is not merely administrative processing; it is a national development instrument,” said Dr. Ruswa.

“When procurement is well governed, it builds jobs, strengthens industries, expands access to opportunities, improves service delivery, and protects public resources.”

The symposium, running from June 10 to 12, is being hosted by PRAZ in collaboration with UNICEF under the theme “Public Procurement as a Strategic Catalyst: Driving Inclusion and Sustainable Economic Transformation.” 

It has brought together policymakers, regulators, development partners, procurement practitioners and private sector representatives to discuss reforms aimed at strengthening Zimbabwe’s procurement system.  

Dr. Ruswa said procurement success should no longer be measured solely through compliance with procedures but through tangible 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.

A key focus of the symposium is broadening participation in public procurement by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), women, youth and war veterans.

“Inclusion is not a slogan; it is a system feature,” said Dr. Ruswa.

“We must identify and remove barriers that limit participation, including information gaps, capacity constraints, procedural bottlenecks and inconsistent application of standards.”

The PRAZ chief also highlighted the importance of procurement in delivering social outcomes, particularly in sectors such as health, education and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), while ensuring vulnerable communities benefit from public spending.

He called for greater adoption of sustainable and green procurement practices, warning that procurement decisions should account for environmental and climate-related risks.

“Public procurement must help build resilience, not create avoidable future costs,” he said.

Transparency and accountability also featured prominently in his address, with Dr. Ruswa stressing that integrity remains the cornerstone of public trust in government procurement systems.

“We will confront transparency and integrity concerns directly because integrity is the foundation of public trust,” he said.

The symposium is also expected to explore the role of digital technologies in modernising procurement systems. Zimbabwe has already introduced an electronic Government Procurement (eGP) system to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability in public procurement processes. According to PRAZ, the platform has onboarded hundreds of government entities and thousands of suppliers since its rollout.  

Dr. Ruswa said digital transformation, including e-procurement, artificial intelligence and data analytics, would play a critical role in reducing opportunities for corruption and improving decision-making.

“Procurement modernisation is no longer optional,” he said.

As discussions begin, Dr. Ruswa challenged delegates to focus on practical solutions and implementable recommendations.

“PRAZ has convened this Symposium to strengthen systems, not to merely exchange views,” he said.

The annual symposium is expected to generate recommendations aimed at improving procurement governance, enhancing transparency and leveraging public procurement as a driver of Zimbabwe’s economic development agenda.  

^{Image Credit: PRAZ}