THE Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) has described as ironic the government push for the centralisaation of procurement processes, when people were calling for devolution of power.
Report by Blondie Ndebele Own Correspondent
The government recently issued a directive barring local tender boards from adjudicating over council tenders.
The move effectively disbanded local tender boards and centralised all procurement by local authorities to the State Procurement Board (SPB), which is based in Harare.
BPRA co-ordinator Rodrick Fayayo said his association believed it was ironic that the government has dissolved municipal tender boards “a few months after the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Investment Promotion and Finance released a report of graft and underhand dealings in the SPB which is now being entrusted with handling tenders for local authorities”.
“While BPRA appreciates that issues of corruption and manipulation of the tender system are inherent in the existing municipal procurement boards, it finds fault in the proposed move, as it would lead to a setback on the effectiveness of operations in not only the city of Bulawayo, but also in other cities and towns countrywide,” he said.
“There is overwhelming evidence that systems of governance, administration and power serve the interests of the residents better when resources and power are devolved from the centre to the grassroots.
“BPRA therefore recommends that instead of centralising these boards, it would be ideal to put in place effective monitoring and accountability systems within the existing municipal procurement boards in order to curb corruption.”
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Fayayo said the centralisation of procurement would be a major blow to Bulawayo, which is experiencing high levels of de-industrialisation.
“This process would undoubtedly lead to the closure and relocation of some factories in pursuit of the ‘new market’,” he said.
