Kenya’s ambitious government e-procurement system, designed to digitize public procurement and enhance transparency, has stirred both praise and resistance since its rollout. While the platform aims to curb corruption, improve efficiency, and centralize procurement processes across public agencies, it has also faced strong pushback from county governments and suppliers who argue that implementation has been rushed and lacks adequate consultation.
What is the Government E-Procurement System?
The new Integrated Government Procurement Platform (IGPP) is a digital system mandated by the National Treasury for all ministries, parastatals, and counties. It requires public entities to conduct all tendering, contract management, and supplier payments online.
According to the Treasury, the system is part of ongoing public sector reforms and aligns with President William Ruto’s promise to digitize 100% of government services by 2026. Already, reports indicate that over 1,420 public agencies have been onboarded onto the platform.
Key Goals of the Government E-Procurement System:
- Curb corruption and manipulation by eliminating manual processes
- Increase transparency in tendering and contract awards
- Standardize procurement across all government levels
- Speed up payments to suppliers and reduce pending bills
Governors Push Back
Despite the government’s optimism, county governors have expressed deep concerns. Through the Council of Governors (CoG), they argue that:
- The rollout was abrupt and lacked adequate stakeholder consultations
- Counties face capacity gaps, with many lacking the technical expertise to operate the system effectively
- Existing contracts and pending bills risk being delayed or disrupted due to forced migration to the digital platform
- Some legal frameworks governing county procurement are not aligned with the Treasury’s directive
The CoG has since filed a court petition challenging the mandatory directive by Treasury CS John Mbadi, claiming it undermines devolution by centralizing procurement control in Nairobi.
Supplier Concerns
Suppliers, particularly SMEs that rely on government tenders, have also raised challenges:
- Onboarding difficulties due to limited ICT knowledge
- High compliance costs in meeting digital requirements
- Fear that system downtimes or glitches could unfairly disqualify bids
- Calls for more training and sensitization before full enforcement
Government E-Procurement System Progress So Far
Despite the pushback, the government maintains that the platform is a critical anti-corruption tool and has already shown promise in reducing procurement malpractices. Officials argue that digitization will:
- Reduce leakages in public funds
- Enable real-time monitoring of contracts
- Provide a publicly accessible portal for citizens to track tenders
The Treasury insists that the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term challenges, promising to roll out capacity-building programs and address counties’ concerns.
The Road Ahead
The battle over Kenya’s e-procurement platform highlights a familiar tension between national control and county autonomy. While digitization is a necessary step toward a more transparent public sector, the success of the system will depend on inclusivity, training, and a phased implementation approach.
For the system to succeed, stakeholders emphasize the need for:
- Collaborative engagement between the National Treasury, counties, and suppliers
- Capacity building for procurement officers at all government levels
- System upgrades and stability guarantees to avoid downtimes
- Legal harmonization to ensure county laws align with national directives
Kenya’s e-procurement journey is still in its early stages. The coming months will reveal whether the government can strike the right balance between enforcing compliance and accommodating the realities of counties and suppliers. For now, the system stands at a crossroads: a potential game-changer for transparency, or a source of new conflicts in Kenya’s governance landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Kenya’s e-procurement system?
Kenya’s e-procurement system, known as the Integrated Government Procurement Platform (IGPP), is a digital platform that manages all public tenders, contracts, and supplier payments to improve transparency and reduce corruption.
2. Why are county governments opposing the e-procurement rollout?
County governments argue the rollout was rushed, lacks adequate consultation, and poses operational challenges due to capacity gaps and misalignment with county laws.
3. How many public agencies are using the new system?
As of September 2025, over 1,420 public agencies have been onboarded onto the government’s e-procurement platform.
4. What benefits does the government expect from e-procurement?
The system aims to enhance efficiency, ensure timely payments, curb corruption, standardize procurement processes, and enable citizens to track tenders in real-time.
References:
- Governors Raise Concerns Over E-Procurement Roll-Out
- Council of Governors Challenge E-Procurement Directive
- Public Agencies on the Government’s E-Procurement Platform
