Corruption in public procurement!

It is very clear by now, that corruption in the form of inflated tenders, poor quality goods, and supply of non-existent goods and services, has a direct detrimental effect on the cost of living for all Kenyans.

As Wanjikus, we must be honest and face the truth that public procurement has been infiltrated by dishonest elements... otherwise called cartels!

Their actions, which amount to economic terrorism, have dented the public perception of the public procurement process and resulted in total skepticism about the integrity of the system.

 Kenyans have even coined words like “tenderpreneurs” to describe operatives who in many cases the public have given social acceptance because of their newfound and frequently-flaunted vulgar wealth.

We must all resist this trend and work towards rebuilding integrity in the public financial management system. All procuring entities owe it to Kenyans to support the national resolve to deal with the vice and to weed out those filthy elements from our midst. If not for anything else, for the sake of patriotism!

 The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority(PPRA) should be actively collaborating with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) the Asset Recovery Agency, the Central Bank of Kenya, the Kenya Revenue Authority(KRA) and the Office of Attorney General ... all in an effort to protect public resources.

Other stakeholders like The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) and Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) should be roped in to root our bad competition practices that distort procurement costing and activate greater supplier diversification respectively.

 The PPRA should actively support initiatives aimed at ensuring that suppliers get paid in a timely manner where they have fulfilled their contractual obligations as this is where corruption is deep as was the case with suppliers to NYS.

 In the protection of public resources, valuable information and data should be gathered and analyzed by these agencies. Such information would be useful in enhancing the integrity of the procurement process as well as to take remedial action on those found to be flouting the law.

 The citizenry ultimately envisages a situation where the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) will not be viewed as a “policing” authority, but rather as an enabler of transparent and efficient procurement and disposal processes. This, it is my belief, is where the best solution for corruption lies.