Govt makes climbdown on ‘nonsensical’ procurement law
Harare- GOVERNMENT has made a climbdown of the ‘nonsensical’ law passed Tuesday law which prohibited making public the procurement and disposal of critical equipment in the construction and health sector .
The special notice was gazzeted Tuesday as General Notice 635of 2023 and it placed procurement of certain equipment out of public scrutiny paving way for corruption.
In a statement released Wednesday .
President Mnangagwa ‘disowned’ the notice and said it was a nullity.
“His Excellency the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, has been made aware of some document gazetted as General Notice 635 of 2023, purporting to place the procurement of certain goods outside public scrutiny, on grounds of “national interest”. Upon further investigations, it has come to light that the so-called Government Gazetted Notice is a nullity, having been published without authorisation, and without the signature of the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, as is the norm. While further investigations are underway, Government wishes to advise the public that, on the instruction of His Excellency the President, the document in question has been rescinded as it has no standing at law, in policy and in terms of set Government procedures. It thus should be disregarded,” read the statement.
“Government remains committed as ever to managing a transparent public procurement policy and process, as required by the laws of the country.” it further reads.
The ‘offside’ law technically legalised corruption and avoidance of public accountability.
