Prime minister Ngurare vows tough action on non-performing contractors

Prime minister Elijah Ngurare has warned contractors and service providers that failure to meet agreed timelines or the abandonment of government projects will no longer be tolerated, signalling a tougher approach to accountability in public service delivery.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ngurare said government intends to enforce stricter oversight on both public servants and private contractors involved in state projects, emphasising that performance and accountability must become standard practice.

“The same is true for those who are awarded tenders and are not performing according to agreed timelines or abandoning sites. Accountability will be the norm on our part,” he said.

Ngurare said the government is actively addressing bottlenecks that hinder the implementation of public projects and has already taken action against underperforming officials and service providers.

Since assuming office in March 2025, the prime minister said he has approved the discharge or demotion of several public servants across key ministries, including Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture; Health and Social Services; and Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform.

“Other ministries are encouraged to institute similar disciplinary procedures should it be found that there are public servants committing acts which are contrary to our national aspirations for service delivery,” he said.

He also stressed the need for closer coordination between the executive, legislature and the private sector, urging government departments to avoid working in isolation and instead align efforts towards common national objectives.

Ngurare reminded members of parliament of their oversight responsibilities, referring to legislation such as the Public Procurement Act, the Anti-Corruption Act and the State Finance Act as key instruments for ensuring transparency, ethical governance and effective implementation of the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).

“We know what these acts provide for and what constitutes their best application to achieve the best outcomes when NDP6 ends in 2030. As I have said before, the true spirit of the law must be applied in order to achieve justice,” he said.

“I believe laws are most effective when they are aligned with the social justice needs and priorities of the society they apply to, because that speaks to humanity, development and equality.”

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