Wajir Governor and Chairperson of the Council of Governors, Ahmed Abdullahi, has stated that the governors are not opposed to the e-procurement based on its prospect to bring about accountability, but due to its functional challenges.

Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Abdullahi stated that the e-procurement system would gladly be accepted by governors if it worked seamlessly without glitches.

“We have no problem with any system that enhances accountability or automates processes. All we are saying is that it must be aligned with the law. When a system has problems, it shouldn’t be seen as a weakness to say there is a problem and postpone it for a few months or whatever time we need to fix the problem,” Abdullahi said.

Standardisation

He lamented the Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi’s directive to migrate to the system, stating that Mbadi’s proclamations do not override the mandate of counties to deliver services.

“We do accept that even with respect to the functions that we carry out, the standardization is with the government. However, the implementation of those functions is with us. The attempt to standardize should not impede our ability to implement,” Abdullahi said.

“Secondly, when you want to do something like that, it is good to align it with the law. The National Assembly has annulled the circular, yet the CS insists he is going to deny us funds on account of a circular. His circular is not superior to Article 60 of the Constitution; we are separate and distinct governments,” he added.

Successful pilot

“When you are setting up a new system, you have to pilot it, and the pilot has to run successfully. You also need to have a safety valve by allowing people a parallel run, so that if the system crashes, they are still able to use the old system.”

While some government agencies have adopted e-procurement platforms, a substantial number still rely on manual, paper-based systems.

The National Treasury’s directive seeks to standardize and fully digitalize this process, moving all tender advertisements, submissions, evaluations, and contract awards online.

Proponents argue this will streamline operations, reduce administrative costs, and create a level playing field for all bidders, regardless of their proximity to government offices.