The Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) for Dar es Salaam, Dr. Toba Nguvila, has urged people with visual impairments to take advantage of public procurement opportunities instead of resorting to street begging. He emphasized that the government has provided these opportunities through the National e-Procurement System of Tanzania known as NeST, which is accessible to all citizens, including persons with disabilities.

Dr. Nguvila made these remarks on May 23, 2025, in Dar es Salaam during an event where special equipment was distributed to the visually impaired. These included flash drives loaded with educational materials on public procurement opportunities, as well as specially designed books to help beneficiaries understand the tenders reserved for special groups such as women, the elderly, youth, and people with disabilities.

“I commend the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) for moving away from outdated systems and introducing the NeST system, which brings transformation to the public procurement sector. You’ve also opened the door for our visually impaired brothers and sisters by providing these tools so they can educate themselves and compete for tenders just like everyone else,” said Dr. Nguvila.

He urged the recipients to make proper use of the materials in order to gain the necessary knowledge, instead of engaging in street begging.

Earlier, Ilala District Commissioner, Hon. Edward Mpogolo reminded participants that 30% of the public procurement budget is allocated to special groups, including people with disabilities. He noted that the government, through local authorities, also offers loans that can serve as startup capital to help them apply for and execute tenders.

“A person is only considered disabled if they lack the tools or environment to function. Once they are equipped with the necessary support, they are just as capable as anyone else. We thank PPRA for empowering them with these learning tools, and I urge the beneficiaries to take good care of the equipment for their own benefit and that of the nation,” he said.

PPRA Board Chairperson, Dr. Leonada Mwagike emphasized the importance of proper use of the distributed materials and called on leaders of the Association of the Blind to ensure the resources are used effectively to achieve the government’s goal of economically empowering this group.

PPRA Director General, Mr. Dennis Simba explained that the initiative to distribute the materials came after the authority observed low levels of awareness and participation in procurement opportunities among special groups.

“We took this step after realizing the low participation from these groups, despite the availability of substantial opportunities for them. We trained more than 250 visually impaired individuals to help them recognize their potential and take part in public tenders like other citizens,” Mr. Simba said.

The distribution event was preceded by a two-phase training program conducted for the visually impaired in April 2025.