This archive report was first published on 15 June 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive to increase transparency in public procurement has yielded significant results, with the value of contracts published online increasing five-fold in the 2019/20 financial year.
According to data from the online portal established in July 2019, 1,338 contracts worth Sh52.43 billion were listed in the 2019/20 financial year, a 579 percent increase from the 379 tenders worth Sh7.72 billion awarded in the 2018/19 financial year.
Additionally, the value of contracts under the Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) program, which aims to provide opportunities for women, youth, and disabled persons, increased by 288 percent, with 482 contracts worth Sh590 million issued in the 2019/20 financial year compared to 125 contracts worth Sh145 million in the 2018/19 financial year.
However, despite the progress made, several State agencies continue to defy President Kenyatta's order to publicly release details of multi-billion shilling tenders through the designated public procurement website.
President Kenyatta had directed that the publication of tenders would allow the public to scrutinize the deals, including the quality and amounts of goods and services bought, as well as the cost and identity of the suppliers.
Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua had also directed accounting officers in ministries, departments, and agencies to consolidate and publish tenders information on the 15th of every month, including the basis of awarding the tenders, parameters of assessment, names and details of tender committee members, and the value of each contract.
