Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has dismissed claims that Parliament has the authority to revoke the e-Procurement system.
Speaking on Thursday, August 28, Mbadi dismissed the assertions as misleading and warned government officers against using them as an excuse to disregard the system
"One of the contention currently being pushed is that Parliament has revoked eProcurement. If there is any government officer out there who is going to use that as an excuse please know I will not buy it. Parliament has not revoked anything," he said.
Mbadi noted that those opposing e-Procurement are seeking loopholes for manipulation, questioning why there is no opposition to the accounting system, the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
"We are implementing IFMIS an accounting system, why hasn't it been revoked? It is because people have interest in procurement; they still want to go manual and manipulate procurement and that is not what we are going to allow," he added.
Read More
Mbadi asserting that the National Treasury is the sole custodian of the country’s financial management systems unless Cabinet decides otherwise.
"How Parliament can turn around and claim that eProcurement is violating the constitution, where is that provision with a constitution? That is not a violation; the constitution is clear that accounting and procurement systems is a function of National Treasury and that is still there position until the Cabinet revokes," he further said.
This comes two month after the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) announced a major shift in its procurement system, directing all suppliers, contractors, and consultants seeking to engage in business with public institutions to register on the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System by July 1, 2025.
In a notice issued on Saturday, June 21, KURA said the move follows a presidential directive and is part of wide-ranging Public Finance Management reforms aimed at digitizing and streamlining procurement processes across all government entities.
“In line with the Presidential directive and ongoing Public Finance Management Reforms, the National Treasury has rolled out the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System across all National and County Government procuring entities,” the notice said.
The notice further stated that participation in any government procurement activity will strictly require prior registration on the e-GP portal.
"To participate in any government procurement process, all suppliers, contractors, and consultants MUST be registered on the e-GP portal by 1st July 2025,” the notice further read.
According to KURA, the new digital procurement system offers a range of benefits intended to improve public procurement standards.
"Lower procurement costs through streamlined digital processes, enhanced speed and efficiency in handling procurement activities, greater transparency and accountability in all transactions, uniform procedures across all government procuring entities, and stronger confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of procurement data,” the notice noted.
