Causes of corruption in construction public procurement in Tanzania: A case of Manyara region

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the Causes of Corruption in Construction Public Procurement in Tanzania whereby Manyara region was taken as the case study. Specifically, the study aimed; to examine the causes of corruption in Construction Public Procurement; to assess the construction public procurement process and the main types of corruption in each stage; to identify the main causes of corruption and suggest measures for eradicating corruption in the construction public procurement in Manyara region. The study employed a case study design where 140 respondents were purposively selected among experts in construction professionals such as consultants, architects, quantity surveyors, engineers, and contractors. Simple random sampling was used to select public officials from Manyara region. The data were collected by using questionnaires, interviews, and documentary reviews. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software. However, descriptive statistical methods such as averages, frequencies, charts, tables, graphs, and percentages were used to analyze and present the findings. The findings revealed that in all stages of procurement, corruption takes place including the specification of the tender, the bidding process, the selection stage, the delivery stage, and even the evaluation stage, and the main causes of corruption are lack of transparency, bureaucracy, lack of legal framework, behavior aspects of some unfaithful procurements officials, discretion, lack of accountability and even budgeting problems in the said area. The study recommends that there should be Compliance with Legislative Obligations and Public Policies, Avoiding conflicts of Interest, Use of an appropriately competitive process, Security and Confidentiality, Consistency and Transparency of the procurement process, and even Fairness and Impartiality. These issues will result in a decrease or elimination of corruption practices among officials in the construction industry.