By The Weekly Vision Team
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has issued a stern call to public procurement officers, warning them against involving themselves in corruption. He was addressing the just concluded Heads of Supply Chain and Procurement Forum 2024 in Mombasa, where he urged them to confront and eradicate the rampant corruption plaguing their profession.
Mr Mudavadi painted a stark picture of the sector, likening the corruption within it to a cancer that requires urgent and decisive “self-surgery.” I warn you to choose between earning a place in “a hall of fame or a list of shame.”
“You stand in an awkward position where the supply chain and procurement community is blamed for the most rampant cases of public sector fraud and corruption, stifling our country’s growth. You are well aware of the notorious Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing scandals, among other grand corruption cases. In 2021, it was widely reported that Kenya loses Ksh. 2 billion daily to corruption, much of it tied to procurement rigging.”
He expressed deep concern over the manipulation of tender documents to favour specific individuals, making the outcomes of tenders a foregone conclusion long before they are awarded. In light of this, he expressed concern that government-funded projects have become magnets for corrupt individuals. In contrast, these same individuals shy away from donor-funded projects due to the heightened transparency and accountability. He emphasised that it’s high time government-funded projects instil the same fear in corrupt cartels by turning the tide on corruption within government operations.
Referencing the 2023 Transparency International report, which ranked Kenya 126th out of 180 countries in the Global Corruption Index, Mudavadi warned that corruption disproportionately harms the poor. “They are denied health services, education, water, electricity, roads, and other essential services that should improve their lives.”
“Public procurement is perceived to be more susceptible to corruption than other areas of government, such as tax collection, passport issuance, the judiciary, or public utilities. My challenge today is to reflect on how you can reposition your profession to support our country’s development agenda.
You have the power to change the negative perception and blanket condemnation of your noble profession by ensuring strict compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks,” Mudavadi urged.
