В Зимбабве выявлены риски коррупции на 2 млрд долларов из-за слабых процедур закупок

Procurement has emerged as one of Zimbabwe’s biggest fiscal vulnerabilities after a new assessment found that contracts worth over US$2 billion are being processed through a system plagued by weak expenditure controls, poor record-keeping, and significant corruption risks. The findings are contained in the 2026 Assessment of the Republic of Zimbabwe Public Procurement System, commissioned by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) with support from the African Development Bank, after reviewing procurement practices across 372 public entities. The level of fiscal exposure is significant, considering that public procurement contracts peaked at US$8.3 billion in 2024, underscoring the scale of public resources flowing through a system the assessment found vulnerable to corruption and weak oversight. Shortcomings extend beyond procurement as the assessment cited weak budgetary and financial controls, fragmented public financial management systems, and inadequate inter-agency coordination as major obstacles to plugging leakages and strengthening accountability. “With public procurement rising from US$8.3 billion (20% of GDP) in 2024, and consistently exceeding reported government expenditure, this signals the absence of a clear feedback loop where insights are monitored and used to continuously strengthen the system,” the assessment said. “This trend highlights the growing importance of public procurement and underscores the need for effective monitoring, transparency, and alignment with budget reporting.” The assessment noted that the surge in procurement between 2022 and 2024 was largely driven by construction and major infrastructure projects before activity slowed. “In 2025, the total number of PEs (procuring entities) registered with Praz was 372, comprising 29 ministries, 92 local authorities, 237 parastatals (SOEs, or state-owned enterprises, fall within this category), and 14 commissions,” the assessment reads. - Renault hands Russian assets to Moscow - Experts downbeat as Ncube cuts GDP forecasts - New perspectives: De-link politics from Zim’s education policies - New perspectives: Building capacity of agricultural players in Zim Keep Reading “According to data collated by Praz, 206,445 procurement contracts were awarded in 2025, with a total value of US$2.3 billion.” The report identified weaknesses across the procurement cycle, from planning and budgeting to contract implementation, increasing the risk of wasteful spending and corruption. Although Zimbabwe has modern procurement legislation and has rolled out an electronic government procurement (eGP) system, persistent weaknesses in planning, financial management, and oversight continue to undermine transparency, accountability, and value for money. “The planning process is often superficial,” the assessment said. “Decisions within these plans are frequently disconnected from crucial factors such as market capacity, current pricing trends, and genuine operational needs. “Furthermore, the integrity of the approved plans is routinely undermined by the frequent urgent and unplanned procurements, which override scheduled activities. “This pattern is a clear signal of weak internal controls and limited accountability within the system.” The report said poor planning weakened coordination between procurement and user departments, increasing the likelihood of inflated prices and reducing value for money. It also highlighted serious deficiencies in record-keeping. An assessment of 108 procurement files found that only 1% contained complete and accurate records covering the entire procurement process, while nearly 80% were missing up to a quarter of the required documentation. “The lack of information in many of the files poses potential risks to accountability and transparency, warranting immediate attention and action for enhancement,” the report said. It added: “The eGP system relies heavily on manual text entry and document uploads, creating redundancy and increasing the risk of errors.” Thus, the lack of auto-population and automated validation limits efficiency, accuracy, and timely analysis. “In addition, the system does not include a comprehensive data analytics tool to track procurement performance, spend distribution, or indicators across different stages, preventing decision-makers at both procuring entity and Praz levels from obtaining the insights needed to make informed decisions and recalibrate performance and policies,” the assessment said. Consequently, Praz continues to rely largely on procurement data submitted manually by public entities rather than automatically generated information from the digital platform. The assessment also raised concerns over delayed payments to suppliers. “In practice, however, financial procedures and Treasury management processes do not function to ensure payment of invoices in a timely manner and in accordance with contractual provisions,” it said. Supplier concerns reflected those findings, with the assessment noting that 46% of respondents to a private sector survey found that invoices were only "sometimes" paid on time, while 32% were never paid according to contractual terms. “The World Bank reported in February 2025 that ‘Discussions with suppliers suggest they see an average of 9 months to 1.5 years to receiving government payments’,” the assessment said. Perhaps the report’s strongest warning centred on corruption. “Opportunities for corruption arise at all stages of the procurement cycle: at the policy formulation stage, project planning and selection phase, through the bidding process and during contract implementation,” the report said. The Auditor-General and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission continued to identify procurement for non-compliance and systems gaps. The assessment recommended integrating the electronic procurement platform with the Public Finance Management System, strengthening procurement planning, improving record management, developing advanced procurement data analytics, tightening oversight, and professionalising the procurement function. It also called for stronger inter-agency cooperation, arguing that procurement reforms alone would not be enough to eliminate leakages without broader improvements in public financial management and expenditure controls.