The Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (ZIPS) says the erratic power supply the country is experiencing has affected the electronic Government Procurement (E-GP) resulting in delayed project completion.
ZIPS President, Daniel Kabamba said the power outages have affected critical projects like the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the drought response projects and many other procurement projects.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, Mr Kabamba explained that the delays mean stalling essential services and development initiatives that communities rely on.
Mr Kabamba observed that with the E-GP system being such an integral part of the procurement process, its intermittent shutdowns have created widespread panic and uncertainty among both procuring entities and suppliers.
“Our members are facing immense pressure to meet project deadlines, and the inability to access a functional system has made this task increasingly difficult,” he said.
He has however said ZIPS has proposed solutions to the power outages such as extension of the waiver for manual procurement.
Mr Kabamba noted that while ZPPA has already issued a waiver allowing manual procurement processes from the 16th to 25th of September 2024, ZIPS is recommending that the waiver be extended for an additional 30 days.
He said the extension will provide ample time to resolve the power supply issues and ensure that the E-GP is fully functional before returning to an online process.
He observed that this is aimed at easing pressure on procurement officers and Institutions to continue operating without disruptions.
Mr Kabamba also said ZPPA is taking steps by procuring additional generators and investing in solar energy system to ensure continuous smooth operations without disruptions.
He said ZIPS has noted the commitment by ZPPA on guidance of how to handle tenders affected by the E-GP downtime and that tenders that were scheduled to close during the outages, ZPPA will provide further guidance on them.
Mr Kabamba has since stated that ZIPS will remain committed to advocating for practical solutions that promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability in Zambia’s procurement processes.
Guys,
This is my last request to those in authority. In the interest of the nation, please give me a hearing to redress the water shortage in Lake Kariba. It’s a pragmatic road map which has been 5 years in planning.
Going backwards instead of forward; how sad.
Loadshedding needs to be ended once and for all.
As usual they are blaming previous successive governments for not investing in alternative energy solutions, remember their waned strategy of always blaming others is not working any more, 3 years is a long time, what have they done in 3 years to invest in alternative sources of energy. Always trying to sound clever when not. Any way ruling party and opposition, draw draw. Both no direction
It’s very sad indeed Zambia has many educated engineers who can solve this problem, but it seems like we are just good at writing thesis and fail to solve the practical problems which we went to school for. Can’t these so-called engineers see the opportunity here, just find one solution on this load shedding it will land someone in money. If we cannot solve this problem using our education, then what is the use of education then?
What is painful in ZED is that we keep on going backward, when are we going to move forward mwebantu when? Our nation is so backward, that FINDECO house could collapse any time.. aaaaaahhhh. Ifiko everywhere & you wonder who the mayors are!!!!!
I went to East Africa; Nairobi & Addis Ababa from Atlanta for business
You can moan with envy, cities in East Africa are being mordernised
You LT what is wrong with you, are you sick of loadshedding!!!!!!!!!
Addis Ababa is really beautiful & you question yourself as to what happened to us in ZED
Their citizens are hopeful of their future and i landed in darkness / loadshedded nation..
You can be educated & yet ifontini & that is what is in ZED, until we wake up we shall continue to lament
Our political leaders need exposure, please go & live abroad for a while