By County Diary Reporter
The government’s introduction of the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system has sparked fresh debate among county stakeholders and local contractors, with fears that the move could inadvertently disadvantage county-based businesses, despite the case challenging its viability being in court.
Under the current system, each county receives budget allocations meant to stimulate local development and empower residents through county-based projects. However, the new e-GP platform—designed to streamline tendering, enhance transparency, and curb corruption—could have unintended consequences on local economies.
According to critics, the digital platform may give an upper hand to tech-savvy contractors from other regions, who can easily navigate the online system to compete for tenders across the country. This could see contractors from one county sweeping up lucrative contracts in another, leaving local firms struggling to compete.
“This is a silent way of impoverishing local contractors who lack digital literacy or access to reliable internet. The government should first build local capacity before fully rolling out the system,” said a concerned contractor from Kitui County.
While the national government argues that e-GP will promote fairness and eliminate favouritism in procurement, county leaders and business associations are calling for safeguards to protect local enterprises. They propose that a certain percentage of tenders be reserved for county-based contractors to ensure local resources benefit local residents.
As the e-GP system continues to be implemented, stakeholders are urging policymakers to balance transparency with inclusivity to avoid widening the economic gap between urban and rural-based contractors.
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