General Notice 635 had been gazetted last week. The
withdrawal is contained in General Notice 851A of 2023 published in an
extra-ordinary Government Gazette by the Chief Secretary to the President and
Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda.
“It is hereby notified that His Excellency the President
has with immediate effect cancelled the declaration set forth in General Notice
635 of 2023; that general notice is accordingly repealed,” Dr Sibanda said.
According to the repealed notice, the President had in
terms of section 3(6) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets
Act (Chapter 22:23), declared various goods to be of “national interest” hence
they had been exempted from public disclosure.
These included construction equipment and materials,
biomedical and medical equipment, medicines and drugs, vehicles including
ambulances, laboratory equipment among others.
In a statement last week, Dr Sibanda said the document in
question had no standing at law, in policy and in terms of set Government
procedures.
“Upon further investigations, it has come to light that the
so-called Government Gazetted Notice is a nullity, having been published
without authorisation, and without the signature of the Chief Secretary to the
President and Cabinet, as is the norm. While further investigations are
underway, Government wishes to advise the public that, on the instruction of
His Excellency the President, the document in question has been rescinded as it
has no standing at law, in policy and in terms of set Government procedures. It
thus should be disregarded”.
He stressed Government’s commitment to managing a
transparent public procurement policy and process, as required by the laws of
the country. Herald
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