The National Treasury has announced a major reform in public procurement with the rollout of the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System.

In a notice on Tuesday, April 1, National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo said the new initiative is aimed at increasing efficiency, transparency and accountability in procurement processes across National and County Governments.

Kiptoo explained that system rollout is in line with the directive made by President William Ruto in his State of the nation address in November 2024.

"The National Treasury is rolling out an end-to-end Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System to all Procuring Entities in both the National and County Governments. This is one of the public finance management reforms that is geared towards efficiency and value for money in public procurement. 

"The e-GP system rollout is in line with the directive by His Excellency, the President in his State of the Nation address on 21st November, 2024 that the National Treasury rolls-out the e-GP system by the first quarter of 2025," the notice read.

Kiptoo also highlighted the benefits of the e-GP system, noting that it would streamline procurement processes and enhance information management. 

"The implementation and use of the e-GP system will result in reduced cost of goods, works and services; increased transparency in procurement processes and practices; improved efficiency in procurement by minimizing the procurement cycle time; maximization of value for money; accountability; improved confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of transactions between procuring entities and suppliers; streamlined procurement procedures across the government through standardization of processes and practices; and enhanced procurement information management that will facilitate procurement planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting," the notice further read.

As such, suppliers, contractors and consultants have been directed to self-register on the e-GP portal which is accessible at www.egpkenya.go.ke.

Additionally, to ensure a smooth transition, the National Treasury has planned a series of weekly webinars from April 10, 2025, to May 30, 2025.

In his State of the Nation address on November 21, 2024, Ruto directed the National Treasury to implement the e-GP system by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

He decried the decade-long delay, insisting that only procurements conducted through the system would be authorized going forward.

“Today, I direct the National Treasury to roll out the e-procurement system by the end of the first quarter of 2025 and ensure that, going forward, only procurement undertaken through this system is sanctioned," he said.