Party, State conflict, ZANU-PF to take part in Govt Procurement Processes

ZANU PF is finalising preparing a document that will, among other issues see the governing party’s involvement in the lucrative government procurement business.

Party acting national spokesperson, Patrick Chinamasa revealed this to journalists Monday.

“We are going to unpack this 19-page document and we are going to liaise with the Chief Secretary (in the Office of the President and Cabinet) which ministry should do what, in which sector,” he said.

“If we are talking about mines, we will set out what empowerment tools must be implemented in the mining sector. A very key issue, we want to know the procurement bill of government, government as you know is the biggest procurer when you consider and compare its services to the cooperate sector.

“Now we want to know who is supplying what to government and come up with policies that empower locals so that they must be able to be empowered by their own government through supplying procurement contracts.

“Where possible, we want to know who is supplying to government and build on that to empower our people in an honest and transparent manner.

“If we develop a process to empower our people through government, it has to be on the basis that is transparent, it’s competitive in terms of price and it’s competitive in terms of quality.”

Chinamasa also admitted that the Zanu PF led government’s controversial black empowerment policy under the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act was not well structured to lure investors and hence, had to be discarded.

In 2008, the now late President Robert Mugabe signed the Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill into law, in spite of resistance by the opposition.

The law gave Zimbabweans the right to take over and control foreign-owned companies with a 51% majority.

However, the Act was later abandoned.

“The 49-51% were abandoned precisely, for this reason, it was not well thought out to say an investor can bring US$100 million and individual overnight claims 51% from him,” he said.

“But as the document will explain, we are going to empower communities, not individuals. We cannot just get an individual who woke and say I already have 51% on an investment which is coming in the country without paying a cent.

“If you are paying something, no problem, but without paying, no. So that is what I think we need for ourselves to clearly understood.

“But the thrust and the process is going to be gradual, progressive, step by step as His Excellency (President Emmerson Mnangagwa) keeps telling us inch by inch, going methodically to empower our people.

“And this, like I said, we are talking about communities; we are also talking about employees in the corporate world.”

-NewZim