CHRR TAKES GOVT TO TASK ON PROCUREMENT

By Jecina Chikwelete 

The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has expressed concern with the increased tendency by state-funded entities to shun open-contract procurement processes despite Government putting in place a legal framework to advance this.

CHRR has been advocating for the adoption of open contracting to achieve efficiency, transparency, competitiveness and value for money in the procurement of resources meant for public projects, but the reality on the ground speaks otherwise.

Speaking to Timveni Online during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Lilongwe on Thursday, CHRR Executive Director Michael Kaiyatsa observed that although Malawi has formulated and passed progressive legal framework and laws to support open contracting agenda, most of the public entities continue to shun the system.

Guest of Honour at the event, District Commissioner for Lilongwe Dr. Lawford Palani, admitted that a significant amount of public funds and other resources have been lost due to fraud and corruption in district councils and this has negatively impacted service delivery in various sectors of the public service.

Palani bemoaned that this tendency has been largely normalized in the society and this is not healthy or sustainable for a particular district or country at large.