The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has completed a week-long awareness campaign in Zomba and Balaka districts, reaching thousands of people with information aimed at strengthening their understanding of Public Procurement, promoting accountability and empowering citizens to play an active role in safeguarding public resources.

The campaign, which took PPDA teams directly into communities, markets and trading centres, focused on creating awareness about the mandate of PPDA and the Malawi National Electronic Procurement System (MANePS).

In Balaka, the campaign reached Chingeni, Mthandizi, Manica Markets and the Mangochi Turn-off, while in Zomba the team engaged communities in Mbulumbuzi, Namadzi, 3 Miles, Songani, Malosa and Thondwe. 

Through community engagements, distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials and direct interaction with citizens, the campaign provided an opportunity for people to ask questions, understand the process and learn how they can engage with the Public Procurement system in Malawi.

The campaign further provided an opportunity to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with practical information and on-site assistance on PPDA certificate registration and renewal. 

This was particularly important in helping local businesses understand how they can position themselves to participate in public procurement opportunities and benefit from the Government market.

PPDA partnered with the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE), which complemented the campaign by educating communities on their rights and responsibilities as citizens to demand transparency and accountability in Public Procurement.

The Authority also partnered with YONECO FM for a special radio program, extending the conversation beyond the communities physically reached by the campaign. 

The radio engagement provided an additional platform for sharing information about PPDA, MANePS and public procurement.

The successful completion of the Zomba and Balaka campaign reinforces PPDA’s commitment to bringing public procurement closer to the people, as Malawi continues its transition to digital procurement through MANePS.