Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi has clarified that the World Bank is not involved in Kenya’s electronic procurement (e-Procurement) system.
He told lawmakers on Thursday that the system was rolled out as early as 2018 and later acquired by the government in 2022 for Ksh387 million. The platform, he confirmed, is operated by an Indian firm.
MPs Question the Rollout
Mbadi appeared before the National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation of the Constitution, where MPs raised concerns over the system’s rollout.
Some legislators argued that the Treasury had rushed implementation without building enough user capacity nationwide. They urged the government to allow both manual and electronic procurement systems to run side by side.
“CS Mbadi, why is the National Treasury insisting that all procurement processes must strictly be carried out through this system while the law provides for both a manual and an electronic system?” asked MP Mark Mwenje.
CS Mbadi Defends the System
In his response, Mbadi strongly defended the electronic system. He argued that the manual method was outdated and encouraged corruption.
“We have not invented a new law. We are implementing the available law. When the law gives you either-or, you choose the best. The manual procurement system is archaic, outdated and promotes wastage,” he said.
The CS stressed that he had pledged to introduce procurement reforms during his vetting and that the new system was one of them.
Fighting Graft and Saving Resources
Mbadi reminded lawmakers that President William Ruto’s administration is working in a tight fiscal space, with limited options for raising revenue.
“We have to seal all loopholes for pilferage of public resources, key among them the public procurement process, if we are to meet our obligations,” he reiterated.
Despite pushback from MPs, Mbadi maintained that the e-Procurement platform is a critical tool in fighting graft and ensuring accountability in public spending.
