Sakaja faces Senate scrutiny over procurement compliance failures
By Sharon Atieno, June 18, 2026Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has come under sharp scrutiny from the Senate over alleged procurement compliance failures in Nairobi City County, with lawmakers questioning gaps in statutory reporting, delayed uploads to procurement systems, and changes to tender documentation.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, June 18, 2026, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget, chaired by Mandera Senator Ali Roba, met Governor Johnson Sakaja and his team at Parliament Buildings to respond to queries raised by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) on procurement transparency and compliance.
”Considering every data that is being shared is in your system, and the system is not in the purview of the committee right now, it’s only fair that we are able to give you some time to go and go through it and get back to us as to whether the concerns you shared have been satisfactorily addressed or not,” Chairperson Ali Roba directed, adding that the Committee will reconvene with the Nairobi City County Executive once the PPRA technical review is finalized to secure a conclusive determination on the matter.
Lawmakers raised concern over the failure by the county to consistently upload statutory procurement data to the PPIP system, saying the gaps undermined transparency in public spending.
Sakaja defends delays, cites transition challenges
Governor Sakaja told senators that earlier reporting gaps in the 2022/2023 financial year were caused by transition challenges after assuming office, adding that the county has since updated procurement plans, contract awards, and termination records.
He said the administration has also strengthened internal systems by recruiting 25 supply chain officers and improving ICT infrastructure to enhance compliance and reporting.
Senators challenge tender document changes and pending bill
Lawmakers, however, questioned alterations to standard tender documents, with Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale arguing that the explanations given raised contradictions.
“You are therefore confirming that, yes, you made those alterations. That should worry you, Governor, on the quality of this answer,” Khalwale said.
Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri also pressed the county over delayed payments to suppliers, saying there were no clear timelines for settling pending bills.
Senate orders PPRA review of county records
Committee Vice Chair Senator Tabitha Mutinda noted that while no funds were alleged to have been lost, accountability gaps remained in implementation and compliance.
The committee directed the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) to conduct a detailed review of the submitted documents and submit a validation report before further deliberations.
Chairperson Ali Roba said the committee would reconvene after receiving the technical report to make a final determination on the matter.