Zimbabwean companies to get preference in procurement

Zimbabwean companies are to get preference in public procurement deals provided this does not compromise quality and delivery, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said last week.

He said this will be part of the government effort to advance the Buy Zimbabwe campaign but would only apply in situations where the local companies have the reputation for producing high quality products.

Chinamasa said public procurement could be used to influence the level of economic activity in the country because it is a significant component of public expenditure.

Chinamasa, however, only set aside US$492 million for capital expenditure in his US$4.12 billion budget for 2014. The bulk, 75 percent, is going to be gobbled by salaries for civil servants.

Industry was only operating at 39.6 percent of capacity this year, down from 44.9 percent in 2012.

Buy Zimbabwe

458- Mr Speaker Sir, public procurement expenditures represent a significant component of public spending that can be used to influence the level of economic activity in the country.

459- In this regard, awarding tenders for the supply of goods required for bigger projects to local companies will help stimulate local production and employment creation.

460- This is particularly so where our companies have the reputation for producing high quality products.
461- Government, therefore, proposes to review our public procurement systems to advance the Buy Zimbabwe campaign, obviously guarding against compromising on quality and delivery.

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