Zimbabwe

Issue(s):

• Overuse of direct procurement and weak definition of exceptions under the legal framework
• Legal provisions not aligned with the practical rollout of the eGP system
• Barriers to participation, including high fees and limited access to finance
• Absence of a national sustainable public procurement (SPP) policy and limited integration of international obligations

Recommendations:

• Review and amend legal provisions to restrict direct procurement and clearly define exceptional cases
• Introduce explicit legal authority and rules mandating the use of eGP
• Improve access to finance and reduce barriers for suppliers, especially MSMEs
• Develop and implement a national SPP policy and strengthen integration of international procurement obligations

Issue(s):

• Weak integration between procurement and public financial management systems, including unreliable data and limited commitment controls
• Limited functionality and use of eGP, with weak reporting and data analytics
• Heavy reliance on manual data and insufficient in-house technical capacity to manage eGP
• Gaps in structured training and capacity development across procuring entities.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen public financial management systems and ensure interoperability with eGP
• Improve treasury processes to ensure timely payment of invoices
• Expand eGP capabilities, including structured data, analytics, and reporting functions
• Build in-house technical expertise and implement structured training and Training-of-Trainers programmes

Issue(s):

• Procurement planning lacks evidence-based needs assessment and market analysis
• Widespread weaknesses in technical specifications and evaluation criteria
• Low publication of contract award notices and incomplete procurement records
• Weak contract management practices and lack of payment documentation
• Constraints limiting private sector participation, including delayed payments and financing challenges

Recommendations:

• Mandate evidence-based planning and systematic market research
• Provide targeted training on specification drafting and evaluation methodologies
• Require mandatory publication of award notices through the eGP system
• Strengthen record keeping, including documentation of payments and contract milestones
• Identify and address systemic barriers affecting private sector participation

Issue(s):

• Limited transparency and ineffective stakeholder and civil society engagement
• Weak internal audit systems and low implementation rates of audit recommendations
• Limited use of complaints and appeals mechanisms due to high challenge fees
• Insufficient anti-corruption capacity, lack of risk identification mechanisms, and weak whistleblower protections
• Inconsistent filing of conflict-of-interest and disclosure information

Recommendations:

• Strengthen stakeholder engagement through transparent feedback mechanisms and improved access to information
• Enhance audit systems, including audit committees and follow-up mechanisms
• Reduce or remove challenge fees and improve accessibility of appeals systems
• Strengthen anti-corruption frameworks, including whistleblower protection and risk identification mechanisms
• Standardise and digitise conflict-of-interest declarations and beneficial ownership disclosure systems