Procurement officials from the region have met for their 4th forum in the city with an aim to harmonize procurement laws in the region.
The idea is believed to facilitate the ongoing integration process.
Bernard Kayirangwa the Director of legal Department in Rwanda’s Public Procurement Authority noted that among the advantages of unifying the laws will be the freedom of citizens in the region to compete in tenders issued in the member states.
And other advantages like harmonization of tax yet corresponding the procurements law is a priority for now.
Mbua Mbugua a consultant in charge of harmonization process advised participants to form a secretariat which will oversee the harmonization of procurement laws at the same review its implementation.
Reacting to major challenges in the sector; corruption being the most popular, Mbugua blamed those who don’t abide by the laws.
“Imagine one not advertising a tender and instead lists his friends for instance yet its stipulated in the guidelines that the tender must be made public, really that is unprofessionalism and two crooked behavior, such people shouldn’t be in such office,” he remarked.
Commenting on the same issue, Maurice Juma, Kenya’s Director of Procurement Authority noted that one of the ways to curb corruption is by forming regulative departments to investigate fishy deals and that similar institutions would facilitate transactions once the laws are equalized.
“In my institution for example we have an administration review unit which takes complaints from tenders issued then refers the cases to relevant authorities if there really gross, other mistakes commonly due to incompetence a dealt with internally,” he remarked.
The Director of Procurement in Tanzania Yusuf Nyongera noted that another thing which should be included in the harmonization process is the formation of an inspection unit which will verify the quality of goods approved in various tenders.
“These will avoid what we’ve seen in some selfish traders who deliver counterfeit goods than what they had proposed earlier,” Said Nyongera.
Simeon Wanyama a board member of Uganda’s Public Procurement Authority showed his worries in the speedy implementation of the procurement laws since every country has its own acts and some are in line with their respective national constitutions.
Ends
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