APA-Harare (Zimbabwe) Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa on Tuesday signed a new decree that outlaws the disclosure of issues relating to the procurement of construction equipment, drugs, medicines and medical supplies in hospitals.
In a general notice published on Tuesday, chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda said Mnangagwa has declared procurement of equipment and other supplies used in public hospitals and for public construction works as of “national interest”.
“It is hereby notified that the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe has, in terms of section 3(6) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23] declared the following to be of national interest and shall not be publicly disclosed – construction equipment and materials: biomedical and medical equipment; medicines and drugs (pharmaceuticals); vehicles including ambulances; laboratory equipment, chemicals and accessories; hospital protective equipment; and repairs and maintenance services of hospital equipment and machinery,” Sibanda said.
The move effectively criminalises the reporting of murky procurement deals by government officials.
Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the directive created “massive scope for looting.”
“Why must procurement details of construction material, biomedical equipment, pharmaceuticals, vehicles or hospital equipment be hidden? Why does the Govt hate transparency? Whose interests are being protected? Why create this massive scope for looting,” she tweeted.
The directive comes at a time when Zimbabwe has been rocked by allegations of high-level corruption involving violations of procurement procedures.
JN/APA