National Assembly passes Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (Amendment) Bill

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥y 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 
𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

The National Assembly has approved a Bill that mandates county governments to prioritize the procurement of goods and services produced within their respective counties 

The Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act (Cap. 412C) and create legal framework to prioritize local procurement, promoting technology transfer, and safeguarding public funds. 

The Bill, sponsored by Hon. Kuria Kimani, MP, introduces a wide range of measures to enhance the procurement process. The Bill sets a threshold for procurement that must be awarded to local firms, with penalties for those who circumvent this requirement. 

The passage of the Bill is a major victory for local businesses, which will now have greater access for opportunities to participate in procurement within their counties. 

Foreign firms will now be required to submit detailed technology, knowledge, and skills transfer plans as part of their tender documents. The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority will monitor and evaluate these plans to ensure that local capacity is built. 

To Strength Accountability, the Bill empowers investigative agencies to probe procurement irregularities, even if related matters are under review by the Public Procurement Review Board. It also introduces stricter penalties for substandard work and fraudulent activities. 

Public funds will now be better safeguarded as the legislation mandates stringent due diligence processes for evaluating bids, including site visits and verification of documents. It also prohibits citizen contractors from subcontracting to foreign firms unless specific expertise is unavailable locally.