New e‑procurement system is worth it

Public procurement is the primary mechanism through which governments acquire the products, works, and services necessary for the provision of public goods. In Kenya, public procurement accounts for about 60 percent of its annual budget. This has contributed to the rapid expansion of government size, which has crowded out private development and, slowing growth.

Yet, public procurement has been cited as a major driver of corruption, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, which ranked Kenya 121st out of 180 countries. Consequently, public procurement has been consistently ridiculed and condemned by the public.