Cabinet okays Public-Private Partnership Bill for publication, introduction to parliament

Cabinet has approved the Public-Private Partnership Bill, 2023 for publication and introduction in Parliament.

Information and Media Minister, Chushi Kasanda, said this in Lusaka on Friday.

Kasanda said among others, the objectives of the bill are to manage and implement public-private partnerships in Zambia.

Kasanda said this in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday.

She said the bill would promote, facilitate and provide for the procedures for the participation of the private sector in the design, financing, construction, development, operation or maintenance of infrastructure or delivery of services through public-private partnerships.

“It will strengthen the institutional framework for implementation of Public-Private Partnership projects,” Kasanda.

She said it would also provide for a transparent project selection process, clear procurement procedure, effective regulatory approvals and expanded contractual models in order to promote private sector investment.

“The Bill once enacted into law will provide for the establishment of the Public-Private Partnership Project Development Support Fund,” Kasanda said.

She said this was in line with the government policy of leveraging the private sector in financing infrastructure development in the country.

“Therefore, it has become necessary to repeal and replace the Public-Private Partnership Act 2009 in order to address the weaknesses in the legislation so as to support sustained delivery of public-private partnerships in the country,” he said.

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