AfricaPress-Tanzania: A tendering process has been highlighted as the most corrupt stage in public procurement and that corruption ratio stands between 11 and 15 per cent of the actual value of contract for each tender, which is publicised.
Speaking during the launch of Corruption Prevention Manual (Volume I) in Dodoma at the weekend, Permanent Secretary (PS) in Prime Minister’s Office (Parliament) Tixon Nzunda said if the head of public institutions would not stand decisively the situation could be worse.
Mr Nzunda mentioned the stage in the tendering process during public procurement that included tender preparations, shortlisting, evaluation, tender budgeting and contract implementation.
“We must fight against corruption from above. Hierarchy must be subjected to what happens in their institution to cut off those corruption channels during tendering to ensure equal rights to all invited bidders,” he addressed.
Commenting on the launch of the Corruption Prevention Manual, Mr Nzunda said the manual was a milestone for fighting against corruption in public procurement.
For his part, Director-General for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Brig-Gen John Mbungo said the manual prepared to seal corruption loopholes all vulnerable areas in the public procurement process to attain the intended outcome of the tenders.
However, Brig-Gen Mbungo added that the manual would be the bridge to connect all stakeholders to improve cooperation in fighting against corruption.
He added that PCCB had prepared the manual under the consultation of SPA Infosuv East African Ltd supervised by Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
At least 368 groups of public procurement participated in the survey conducted in 23 regions.
“Every stage of procurement is tempted by corruption especially when the public institution has weak management that may prompt unethical practices to elude the public procurement acts guidelines,” he noted.
