The Minister of Finance, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, has urged public institutions in the country to ensure the implementation of the National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST), emphasizing that there are no alternatives to system usage.

He made these remarks today in Dar es Salaam while receiving the Annual Performance Evaluation Report of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).

Dr. Nchemba stated that the NeST system, which began operations in July 2023, has enhanced transparency and accountability, thereby improving the internal control systems of procuring entities. This aligns with the directives of Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who has called on the Ministry of Finance to oversee government spending, particularly in project implementation.

“I acknowledge that challenges may arise, but alternative measures must lead us to embrace system usage. In some areas, systems are criticized to justify personal interests. Those who oppose the system often associate it with every problem they face for their own benefit. We will address fundamental challenges, but we must adopt systems as there are no alternatives,” stated Dr. Nchemba.

He urged the PPRA to continue training procurement stakeholders to ensure that a lack of understanding of the NeST system does not hinder the progress of Tanzanians. Additionally, he called on the Authority to take legal action against those who deliberately refuse to utilize the system.

In another development, the Minister of Finance directed the PPRA to monitor compliance with regulations requiring procuring entities to allocate 30% of their procurement budgets for special groups (women, the elderly, youth, and people with disabilities).

“This law mandates that 30% of the procurement budget be dedicated to special groups. Implement measurable approaches to ensure this opportunity can be quantified. These special groups are capable of contributing positively to our nation,” he emphasized.

“Not every company owner operates heavy machinery or directly manages projects. Therefore, when someone from a special group approaches us, we should not judge them superficially or compare them to a project manager. Let us provide them with opportunities,” Dr. Nchemba added.

He underscored the importance for public institutions to effectively utilize the preferential opportunities provided by the new public procurement law for local products, individuals, and companies, thereby strengthening the domestic economy and enhancing taxpayer capabilities.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the PPRA Board of Directors, Dr. Leonada Mwagike, noted that in the 2023/24 Financial Year, the Authority has empowered stakeholders regarding the NeST system and the Public Procurement Act of 2023.

“The Authority has trained a total of 8,904 participants from 2,020 procuring entities on NeST. Additionally, training on the new procurement law, alongside NeST training, involved 643 participants from 420 procuring entities, 393 members of parliament, 190 individuals from special groups, 26 Regional Administrative Secretaries, and 166 participants through online training via the WEBINAR platform,” stated Dr. Mwagike.

Other activities include conducting investigations in 16 institutions and various projects, as well as audits.