Murkomen backs e-procurement system amid standoff 

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen Friday backed the mandatory transition to the electronic Government procurement system championed by the National Treasury.

He said it will help tame corruption.

According to the CS, the implementation of the e-Procurement is going to enhance transparency and accountability within government.

“It will ensure the most qualified persons deliver services to Kenyans. When you are introducing a new system, you will definitely have challenges and it can’t be theoretical but practical,” said the CS.

“We are tendering for consumables and for operations. We totally support the E-Procurement. There are some challenges and we will continue having challenges when you introduce something new. But you must adopt the system then you work on the challenges.”

The CS shared his experience using the E-procurement.

“I was very happy the other day to approve the procurement plan electronically. The procurement is ongoing and yes, we are having challenges and those challenges will ensure the process is transparent.”

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi insisted Thursday that the electronic platform is the key to eliminating corruption and ensuring transparency in public procurement.

The system, intended to digitize all government procurement processes, has also met resistance from MPs, who argue it is premature and impractical under current conditions.

Appearing before the Parliamentary committee on the implementation of the Constitution on Thursday, Mbadi stood firm on the government’s position.

“We made a decision to use electronic procurement. The law clearly emphasizes this. It is the most effective way to combat corruption and ensure public procurement is transparent and accessible to all Kenyans,” said Mbadi.

But MPs were not convinced as they raised a number of questions on the motive behind it.

They argue that many institutions are ill-equipped to implement the system, and the law still allows for manual procurement.

“It doesn’t matter what the government thinks. What matters is what the law says. Most institutions are struggling with this system. The law provides for both methods. If you believe electronic procurement is the best option, bring it to Parliament and let’s amend the law,” said Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje.