All government procurement will be done on a digital platform beginning in July, President William Ruto has announced.
The President said this is meant to eliminate fraud and inflated costs in government procurement that drain public resources.
He said there would be no turning back in ensuring that government procurement is transparent and above board.
“We should be able to know who has been awarded what tender and at what much, and know how many people participated. And all of this should be on a platform open to the public,” he said.
President Ruto made the remarks when he closed the Third National Executive Cabinet Retreat at the KCB Leadership Centre in Kajiado County on Friday.
Ruto warns public servants
He warned that any public official responsible for the loss of public funds would be held personally accountable.
He cited the example of a procurement officer who has awarded contracts to a hospital that has not been built.
“When such an audit discloses fraud, the officials concerned should take personal responsibility,” he said.
The President pointed out that some public servants have a conflict of interest in government procurement and warned that this must stop.
“There is still a significant conflict of interest in procurement. Instead of fairly serving the public, you are serving your personal interest,” he said.
Why government plans to establish Single Treasury Account
To further enhance accountability, President Ruto disclosed that the government will establish a Single Treasury Account that will make all funds in ministries, departments and agencies visible to the National Treasury.
“Why do we have public funds in all manner of bank accounts earning interest that benefits individuals?” he asked.
The President also noted that the government is shifting from cash-based to accrual accounting, which will ease the adoption of zero-based budgeting.
These changes, he pointed out, will significantly cut down on wastage and misappropriation of public funds.
Saying more than 22,000 government services have been digitised and are available at the click of a button, President Ruto warned that action will be taken against any agency resisting the online payment system.
On training for public servants, the President said the government will reorient it so that it becomes more appropriate for a population that is younger, more educated, smarter and, at times, more restless.
Technology, he explained, will be used to make the government leaner, smarter, more efficient and more effective.
President Ruto urged public servants to steer clear of personal interest in government procurement.
“There is still a lot of conflict of interest in government. Instead of serving the public, you are serving your personal interests,” he said.
President Ruto urged members of the Executive to work together because they are one government, devoid of silos.
In a statement read by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, the retreat resolved to strengthen government service delivery and enhance performance and public confidence.
