Mtwara District Commissioner, Honorable Abdallah Mwaipaya, officially inaugurated the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Southern Zone Offices, located at the PSSSF Building – Sokoine, Mtwara Town, on February 28, 2025.

In his address, Hon. Mwaipaya emphasized that the establishment of PPRA offices across six zones, including the Southern Zine, is part of the ongoing efforts of the Sixth Phase Government to decentralize services and bring them closer to the people.

He urged the public to seize this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how to participate in public procurement processes, thus enabling them to become beneficiaries of the more than 70% of the Government's budget allocated to public procurement. Moreover, he encouraged citizens to register on the NeST (National e-Procurement System), which is currently the sole platform for accessing public procurement opportunities.

The District Commissioner also urged public servants to comply with legal requirements by utilizing the NeST System for public procurement activities, while avoiding justifications for non-compliance. He stressed the importance of visiting PPRA offices for guidance and clarification, now made more accessible with the decentralization of services.

He highlighted that the adoption of digital systems is essential in enhancing efficiency, accountability, and transparency, thus mitigating the potential for financial mismanagement in public procurement processes.

“His Excellency the President has called for system interoperability. The NeST system, which last year won the prestigious award for the Best Innovative Public Procurement System in Africa, is now integrated with 20 other systems. I commend the PPRA for these efforts, and it is imperative that we continue to use this system to access opportunities and ensure real value for money, particularly in development projects that benefit our citizens," Mwaipaya stated.

The District Commissioner further noted that Mtwara Region offers numerous opportunities, and the Government is implementing several projects that present public procurement prospects. He encouraged the citizens to actively engage in these processes, either as individual businesses or by forming groups of 5-20 members.

The inauguration of the PPRA Southern Region Offices was accompanied by a seminar for approximately 50 journalists from the Mtwara region, which was officially opened by the District Commissioner.

Mr. Finias Manasseh, the Manager of PPRA Southern Zone, explained that the simultaneous hosting of these two events was driven by the belief that well-informed journalists can more effectively communicate the nuances of public procurement to the broader public.

He further assured that PPRA is fully committed to delivering high-quality services to Tanzanians across all regions, in line with the objectives of the Government led by Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan to promote economic empowerment and sustainable development for the people.

Mr. Manasseh also noted that, at present, NeST is the exclusive platform for Government tenders, which allows citizens to participate in public procurement processes from any location, with complete transparency, fairness, and without the need for direct interaction with Government officials.

In conclusion, he extended his gratitude to the Government, on behalf of the PPRA Management, for facilitating the opening of the Zone Offices and for ensuring that the Public Procurement Act provides valuable opportunities for Tanzanians, from the grassroots level in villages to the national stage.