Mombasa: The Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, has challenged procurement professionals to uphold the highest standards of integrity while embracing emerging technologies to transform public procurement into a transparent, accountable, and value-driven system that supports Kenya’s economic development.
According to Kenya News Agency, in his speech read by the Principal Secretary (PS) for Public Investments and Asset Management, Cyrell Wagunda, during the official opening of the Fifth Heads of Procurement and Supply Chain Management Conference in Mombasa, Koskei emphasized the immense public trust placed in procurement professionals. He stressed the necessity for them to ensure that every procurement decision delivers value for taxpayers while promoting ethical governance.
The four-day conference, organized by the Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM), is being held under the theme: ‘From Procurement Spend to Public Value: Advancing National Impact Through Professional Excellence.’ Koskei declared that integrity must remain non-negotiable for public sector Heads of Procurement, who are custodians of billions of shillings of public resources. He warned that professional competence without integrity poses a serious risk to national development.
Koskei urged procurement professionals to uphold professionalism, ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability in their duties. He emphasized that procurement departments should become centers of integrity and that every tender should withstand scrutiny. He highlighted the government’s support for ethical procurement practices and its intention to act against those who abuse public office for personal gain.
He further noted that under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), procurement is envisioned as a strategic driver of enterprise development. Koskei expressed that procurement opportunities should stimulate local manufacturing, create jobs, encourage innovation, expand market access, and enable Kenyan businesses to grow regionally and globally.
Koskei also challenged procurement professionals to embrace technologies such as green procurement, Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, and predictive procurement, stating these innovations are reshaping public purchasing globally. He commended KISM for its role in advocating for the Electronic Government Procurement System (e-GP), which enhances transparency, competition, accountability, and reduces procurement costs.
Public Investments and Asset Management PS John Wagunda echoed Koskei’s sentiments, emphasizing that technology will shape the future of procurement. He described the e-GP platform as a transformative reform in public financial management and urged full embrace of the system by public institutions.
KISM National Chairperson Jeniffer Cirindi urged procurement professionals to leverage technology for transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency during the transition to the e-GP system. She highlighted the importance of regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and positioning the profession to lead in harmonizing standards across borders.
Cirindi noted KISM’s significant milestones, including World Bank financing for institutional transformation, expanding membership, and strengthening compliance. KISM CEO Kenneth Matiba mentioned the institute’s digital transformation efforts, including the rollout of the KISM Mobile Application and enhancements in member services.
