Counties across Kenya are under fresh scrutiny after the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget highlighted repeated violations of procurement regulations.
Led by Mandera Senator (Cpt.) Ali Roba, the committee convened with the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) to review persistent breaches and discuss measures to ensure county compliance with the law.
Senators expressed concern over opaque procurement processes and emphasized the need for thorough, evidence-based investigations.
They asked PPRA to provide detailed reports with specific examples of wrongdoing, aiming to hold accountable individual accounting officers rather than issuing general warnings.
During the session, PPRA Director General Patrick Wanjuki outlined a troubling pattern of non-compliance in counties such as Nairobi, Isiolo, Mandera, and Marsabit.
The Authority cited multiple issues, including failure to use standard tender forms, subjective evaluation methods, and the omission of required procurement information from the Public Procurement Information Portal.
The Authority also highlighted the economic toll of delayed supplier payments, noting that some county officials have refused to settle contracts from previous administrations.
While tasked with monitoring procurement, PPRA admitted it faces enforcement challenges due to impunity among certain county officials.
PPRA clarified that advance payments should not exceed 20% of a contract and must be secured with bank guarantees rather than insurance policies.
In closing, Wanjuki called on the Senate to exercise its oversight powers to ensure county governments adhere to procurement laws, safeguard public funds, and restore confidence in the system.