The Government of Zimbabwe has advanced a legislative amendment designed to close a gap in public procurement that previously allowed contractors to move between ministries after failing to deliver projects. According to NewZimbabwe, the new measures require all ministries, departments, and government agencies to consult the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe’s blacklist before awarding any public contract. The objective is to ensure that a company which defaults in one area of government does not automatically secure work in another without scrutiny.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi presented the changes to the National Assembly, where members debated and passed the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Amendment Bill, 2025. The bill will now move to the Senate for further consideration before becoming law. Minister Ziyambi stated that the reforms are intended to make public spending tighter and more accountable, particularly as the government expands infrastructure projects under the National Development Strategy 2. He emphasized that sharing information about defaulting contractors across all arms of government prevents departments from being caught unaware by firms with poor track records.
The amendment builds on existing powers held by the Procurement Regulatory Authority, which can already suspend or blacklist companies for improper conduct such as taking payment without delivering goods. As NewZimbabwe reported, "The minister explained that the power to ban defaulters already exists." However, the new legislation makes the consultation of this list mandatory for every government department, rather than leaving it to chance. The updated law operates alongside existing legal actions for breach of contract to strengthen oversight and protect public funds.
Additional adjustments in the bill include granting the minister the power to keep certain procurement information private if it affects national interests and widening the regulatory authority’s role to evaluate how well departments follow procurement rules. Government departments will now seek approval for procurements annually instead of every two years, aligning planning with the annual budget. The bill also removes the requirement to include unnecessary international standards in tender documents to reduce administrative burden. The legislation is set to be debated in the Senate before final enactment.