Some members of parliament in the National Council have expressed discontent over the Public Procurement Amendment Act, warning that it is already riddled with unresolved gaps.

MPs say introducing amendments now could deepen the cracks in the system.

The act aims to establish a special procurement court to exclusively adjudicate challenges in public procurement decisions.

This court will handle procurement-related cases, define its powers and speed up decision-making.

Former Minister of Finance Ipumbu Shiimi, who introduced the amendments in the National Assembly, explained that there are currently delays in resolving disputes linked to public procurement.

However, National Council MPs have expressed scepticism about the timing and impact of these amendments. 

Kennedy !Haoseb, UDF MP for the Erongo Region, cited prolonged delays in procurement processes, stating, “Some of us at Erongo Regional Council have been waiting almost a year to procure items for beneficiaries. The person who applied has even forgotten what they applied for.” 

Paulus Mbango, an independent MP, echoed these frustrations, describing the bureaucracy as “quite frustrating” and noting that the current act is causing widespread problems across the regions.

Peter Kazongominja, Nudo MP, questioned whether the introduction of a procurement court might actually lead to further delays, given the existing backlog and the multiple layers of review panels already in place. “I don’t know if we are escalating another delay, after all the other delays we are having,” he remarked, pointing to the complexity of the current review process.

Richard !Gaoseb, Swapo MP, stressed the importance of ensuring that those appointed to the procurement court are thoroughly trained and fully understand the procurement act before presiding over cases. He warned that inadequate preparation could undermine the effectiveness of the new court.

These delays, they said, can slow down important services and discourage fair competition.