Government is moving to close loopholes that have allowed contractors who fail to fulfil their obligations in one ministry to secure fresh public tenders elsewhere, through proposed reforms requiring all public entities to consult the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ)’s blacklist before awarding contracts.
The measures, contained in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Amendment Bill, 2025, are aimed at strengthening accountability, protecting public funds and ensuring that defaulting contractors are prevented from moving between Government departments in search of new business.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, told Parliament that the reforms would strengthen the operational effectiveness of the debarment system by ensuring that information on defaulting contractors is shared across all ministries, departments and agencies.
“The Government is committed to strengthening the operational effectiveness of the debarment system, ensuring that all procuring entities consistently consult the debarment lists before awarding contracts and that information regarding defaulting contractors is shared across all MDAs,” he said.
The proposed amendment seeks to address weaknesses in the current procurement system, where contractors suspended or blacklisted for misconduct in one public institution could potentially secure contracts from another entity without the latter being aware of their procurement history.
Minister Ziyambi said the authority to suspend or blacklist companies already existed under current procurement regulations, particularly in cases involving improper conduct such as receiving payment without delivering goods.
However, the amendment would make consultation of the debarment list mandatory for all procuring entities, strengthening coordination and ensuring that sanctions imposed on contractors are recognised across Government.
Minister Ziyambi said the proposed changes would complement existing legal remedies for breach of contract rather than replace them, providing additional safeguards against procurement misconduct.
The Bill also expands PRAZ’s mandate to include evaluating compliance with procurement regulations by public entities, while requiring ministries and Government agencies to seek procurement approvals annually instead of every two years.
Other provisions allow the minister to withhold certain procurement information where disclosure could compromise national interests, while bidders would be required to maintain confidentiality over sensitive information.
The Bill will now be considered by the Senate before it can become law.
These reforms come as Government accelerates infrastructure development and other programmes under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), with procurement accountability considered critical to ensuring that public resources translate into tangible development outcomes.
