By KPC Reporter
The Senate Finance and Budget Committee has ordered an independent review of Nairobi County’s procurement records after Governor Johnson Sakaja came under intense scrutiny over compliance lapses flagged by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
Meeting at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, the committee interrogated the Nairobi City County Executive over the failure to upload statutory procurement information to the Public Procurement Information Portal (PPIP) and alleged alterations to standard tender documents across several financial years.
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Appearing before the committee chaired by Mandera Senator Ali Roba, Governor Sakaja attributed the reporting gaps in the 2022/2023 financial year to institutional transitions following his administration’s assumption of office.
He told senators that the county had since uploaded consolidated procurement plans, contract awards and records of terminated contracts to the PPIP portal.
Sakaja further said the county had recruited 25 professional supply chain officers, conducted staff sensitisation programmes and deployed ICT infrastructure to eliminate persistent reporting delays.
On allegations that the county altered standard tender documents, the Governor maintained that the changes were lawful customisations permitted under Section 74 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, and were necessary to address the technical demands of specific county projects without undermining fairness and competition.
He also argued that historical concerns surrounding certain contracts fell under the jurisdiction of the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), distancing the current administration from liability.
The Executive told the committee that statutory capacity-building levies are deducted and remitted upon payment to suppliers, while pending bills remain captured in the county’s verified registry for phased settlement.
However, lawmakers subjected the explanations to sharp scrutiny, demanding clearer timelines and greater transparency.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale challenged the Governor’s defence on tender modifications, describing the county’s response as contradictory.
“That in itself is a contradiction. 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 questioned the absence of firm timelines for settling pending bills, noting that the Executive had merely committed to payment subject to the availability of funds.
Committee Vice-Chairperson Senator Tabitha Mutinda acknowledged the detailed submissions made by the county but reminded officials that compliance with procurement regulations was non-negotiable.
“No money has been lost as far as these concerns have been raised. It’s not really an audit issue of where is this amount, where has it been taken to. It’s a matter of why your team, Governor, is not doing what they’re supposed to do,” she said.
Citing the volume and technical nature of the documents tabled, the committee ruled that immediate verification was impossible and directed the PPRA technical team to analyse the county’s submissions and file a validation report within a specified timeframe.
“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,” Roba directed.
The committee said it would reconvene with the Nairobi City County Executive once the PPRA’s review is complete to make a final determination on the matter.
