Zambia Urged to Speed Up Procurement Without Compromising Accountability

By Alain Kabinda

LUSAKA – In boardrooms and council chambers across Zambia, critical decisions are often made that determine whether a community receives a new health facility, whether a road is rehabilitated, or whether clean water reaches households in need. Yet despite budgets being approved and projects planned, many development initiatives continue to face delays due to slow procurement processes.

It is this challenge that brought together procurement professionals, local authority leaders, and government officials at the 2026 Annual Procurement Committee Training Workshop, where calls were made for faster, more accountable procurement decisions to accelerate service delivery and national development.

Organized by the Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (ZIPS), the workshop focused on improving procurement efficiency while maintaining compliance, transparency, and accountability.

Representing Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa, Permanent Secretary for Special Duties at Cabinet Office, Mr. Wisdom Bwalya, said procurement delays remain one of the major obstacles preventing institutions from translating plans into tangible benefits for citizens.

“Projects are approved in principle but stall in process. Budgets are allocated but not converted into impact. Opportunities are identified but not executed on time,” Mr. Bwalya told participants.

His remarks highlighted a challenge that affects numerous sectors of the economy. Across government institutions, state-owned enterprises, local authorities, and donor-funded programmes, delayed procurement often results in stalled projects, rising costs, and frustrated communities waiting for essential services.

And Procurement may not always attract public attention, but it sits at the centre of government service delivery.

Every classroom built, every hospital supplied with equipment, every water project implemented, and every public road rehabilitated begins with a procurement decision.

However, according to government officials, lengthy approval processes and administrative bottlenecks continue to slow implementation.

Mr. Bwalya noted that while Zambia’s decentralization agenda has devolved authority to local councils, many local authorities still struggle to make timely procurement decisions.

“Approval bottlenecks and limited capacity continue to slow service delivery at community level,” he said.

He warned that while compliance and accountability are essential principles of public procurement, institutions must avoid allowing these safeguards to become barriers to progress.

“In some cases, the cost of indecision is greater than the risk of making a well-considered, accountable decision,” he said.

According to Mr. Bwalya, delays increase contractor costs, postpone delivery of public services, and weaken public confidence in institutions tasked with driving development.

One of the key messages emerging from the workshop was the need to change perceptions about procurement.

Rather than viewing it as a purely administrative process, speakers argued that procurement should be treated as a strategic tool for achieving development outcomes.

And ZIPS President Mr. Daniel Kabamba said procurement systems exist to facilitate service delivery and economic growth.

“Procurement systems exist to enable service delivery, not delay development. Compliance is mandatory, but unnecessary delays are unacceptable,” he said.

Mr. Kabamba emphasized that procurement committees play a critical role in determining how quickly projects move from concept to reality.

The workshop, held under the theme “Accelerating Procurement Decisions: Unlocking National Development and Value Creation Across Public, Private, and Development Sectors,” sought to address challenges including stalled decisions, excessive approval layers, and the growing costs associated with delayed action.

For local authorities in particular, procurement efficiency can directly affect people's quality of life.

Councils are responsible for delivering roads, markets, sanitation facilities, schools, health infrastructure, and other essential community services.

“Decisions deliver development. Delayed decisions deny communities benefits they urgently need,” Mr. Kabamba said.

He urged procurement professionals to embrace what he described as “speed with compliance,” ensuring that legal requirements are respected while maintaining momentum in project implementation.

Beyond financial implications, procurement delays have social consequences.

When infrastructure projects stall, communities wait longer for access to healthcare, education, clean water, and economic opportunities.

Incomplete projects can also increase public dissatisfaction and erode trust in institutions responsible for delivering development.

Mr. Kabamba noted that procurement speed is ultimately a matter of governance and accountability.

“Unjustified delays result in incomplete infrastructure, stalled projects, and reduced citizen confidence,” he said.

The discussions reflected a broader understanding that development is not measured by plans and budgets alone but by the speed and effectiveness with which projects are implemented.

Meanwhile, ZIPS Registrar Mr. Henry Lukwesa described the workshop as an important platform for learning, reflection, and practical problem-solving.

“While processes exist, timely decision-making remains a challenge. This workshop encourages participants to share experiences and explore practical ways to improve procurement within their institutions,” he said.

Mr. Lukwesa said ZIPS remains committed to supporting procurement practitioners through training, professional guidance, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving standards across the sector.

The workshop attracted council secretaries, town clerks, procurement committee members, heads of procurement, and senior management teams from various institutions across the country.

Participants were encouraged to identify challenges within their organizations and propose practical reforms that could reduce procurement cycle times without compromising transparency and integrity.

As Zambia continues implementing decentralization and pursuing ambitious development goals, procurement is increasingly being recognized as one of the most important drivers of public service delivery.

The ability of institutions to make timely procurement decisions often determines whether development projects succeed or remain trapped in paperwork.

For many communities waiting for roads, schools, clinics, water systems, and other public services, faster procurement could mean faster development.

The message from the workshop was clear: procurement is not merely about buying goods and services. It is about transforming public resources into meaningful results for citizens.

And as government and procurement professionals continue pushing for reform, the challenge will be ensuring that procurement systems remain both accountable and responsive—delivering development at the speed communities deserve.

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