Senate starts debate over Bill on State tenders

Senate has begun debate on a Bill proposing to set aside 30 per cent of public procurement for the youth, women and persons living with disabilities.

The move is in line with the Jubilee Government's pledge to empower special groups by ensuring they are awarded tenders.

Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, while moving the Public Procurement and Disposal (Amendment) Bill, introduced new changes to ensure the special groups are considered.

"This Bill seeks to ensure all government entities report their progress to Independent Procurement Oversight Authority for a quarterly report to Parliament. The two House will deliberate on the report and ensure the set criteria is followed," he proposed.

Prof Kindiki said in the proposed changes, no State agency will make any payment without ensuring the mandatory signatory is either a youth, woman or a person with disability.

He further said the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich will be required to come up with a proposal to relax the procedures required in the tendering process.

"The CS will be required to come up with a procurement rule that will be brought before Parliament for debate to increase absorption of the Sh200 billion annually," he explained.

Kindiki noted that government tenders amount to Sh600 billion, of which only Sh200 billion is for special groups.

Seconding the draft law, Kisumu Senator Anyang' Nyong'o proposed that penalties be meted on public bodies that do not meet the requirements of the Bill.

The proposed law has already been passed in the National Assembly.