More than 900 public entities have adopted and migrated to the Government Electronic Procurement (e-GP) system, a move aimed at tightening oversight and sealing corruption loopholes in Kenya’s billion-dollar procurement industry.
The migration, which has taken place over the past three years, has seen public institutions upload mandatory procurement plans onto the digital platform, in line with reforms enhancing transparency, competition, and value for money in the use of public funds.
Speaking in Naivasha on Tuesday, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Director General Patrick Wanjuki said the uptake marks a major shift away from opaque manual processes that have long affected public procurement.
“The number of public entities that have migrated to the electronic procurement system has reached 900 over the last three years, despite resistance from some quarters, including the Council of Governors,” Wanjuki said.
He noted that the e-GP platform enables real-time transactions, end-to-end tracking of procurement processes, and automated audit trails, minimizing opportunities for human manipulation.
Wanjuki disclosed that the Council of Governors (CoG) had previously challenged the mandatory adoption of the system in court, which directed that both manual and electronic procurement systems be used during the transition period.
During the petition, CoG argued that the rollout had been implemented without its input and could delay the delivery of key services to citizens. However, Wanjuki warned that continued reliance on manual procurement risked undermining anti-corruption efforts that the system is designed to address.
“Allowing manual systems negates the gains we are making, opens the door to opaque processes, and weakens accountability, ultimately denying the public value for money,” he said.
Public procurement accounts for an estimated 30 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product, a billion-dollar industry long targeted by corrupt practices.
The e-GP system forms part of broader reforms under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, aimed at sealing corruption loopholes. Despite initial resistance, counties continue to adopt the system, with Murang’a County leading the pace in tendering processes. “Murang’a County has floated over 100 tenders through the electronic system, demonstrating that counties can successfully embrace digital procurement for prudent use of public resources,” Wanjuki noted.
Kenya Institute of Supply Chain Management (KISM) CEO Kenneth Matiba said the shift to electronic procurement is improving professional compliance among supply chain practitioners.
Speaking during the induction of newly elected KISM chairperson and council members, Matiba highlighted improved compliance revealed by recent audits and welcomed the election of KISM’s first female chairperson, describing it as a milestone for the profession.
Jennifer Cirindi, the new Chairperson, said e-GP is reshaping government business within the supply chain and procurement space, calling for greater adherence to professional and ethical standards.
“Electronic government procurement has fundamentally changed how government does business and this calls for enhanced compliance to drive change,” Cirindi said.
She added that her tenure would focus on professional integrity, innovation, and policy reforms to position Kenya competitively on the global stage in supply chain and procurement practice.
By Erastus Gichohi
