ODPP operates without heads for 2 months
The Office of the Director of Public Procurement (ODPP) has operated for about two months without heads following the retirement of former director Bright Mangulama in February and the contract’s expiry of his deputy Isaac Chilima several months ago.
The Public Procurement Act empowers the President to appoint the ODPP director and deputy director who are then required to be confirmed by Parliament to start working.
ODPP public relations officer Mary Mbekeyani on Tuesday admitted that the two positions are crucial to the operations of the office which is responsible for authorising, regulating and monitoring public procurement to check corruption and abuse of public resources.
“The position of the director is not filled. The position of deputy director is also not filled. Mr. Mangulama retired towards the end of February,†said Mbekeyani.
She, however, refused to comment on how the two vacancies are affecting the operations of the office and how public procurement is being conducted in the absence of the two heads. She referred Weekend Nation to acting director Arnold Chirwa who was reportedly out of office.
Minister of Information and Civic Education Moses Kunkuyu said President Joyce Banda has just identified a new ODPP director, but said his details will be disclosed later.
Human Rights Consultative Committee acting coordinator the Reverend MacDonald Sembereka on Thursday said government needs to expedite the appointment of the two officers.
“It’s quite unfortunate that some months have gone without the vacancies being filled. Looking at the gravity of the level of procurement in government, this needs to be done quickly,†said
Sembereka.
ODPP plays a crucial role in guiding government ministries and departments on all procurement matters, including preparation of bidding documents for government contracts such as procurement of fertiliser for the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp).
The late president Bingu wa Mutharika did not appoint a director of ODPP and his deputy before his demise on April 5.
According to the Act, the ODPP director and his deputy are only allowed to serve a maximum of two four-year terms under supervision of the President.
