By peter mwibanda
NAIROBI
A growing wave of protest is erupting from county governments and other public agencies over President William Ruto’s rushed rollout of the electronic Government Procurement (eGP) system, with critics branding it a “digital disaster” that has paralyzed essential services, endangered livelihoods and ignored Kenya’s deep administrative diversity.
The eGP platform, championed by the National Treasury and positioned as a cornerstone of the administration’s digital transformation agenda was rolled out nationwide in August.
However, governors and county officials now say the centralized, one-size-fits-all approach has backfired—crippling procurement functions in key sectors such as health and agriculture.
“Lives are literally at stake,” said one senior county official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Health facilities are unable to restock drugs and basic supplies. Farmers can’t access subsidized inputs all because we were forced to adopt a system that was neither piloted nor tailored to our operational contexts.”
The Council of Governors (CoG) issued a strongly worded statement over the weekend, accusing the Treasury of imposing the system without meaningful consultation or phased transition plans.
They argue the move disregards existing procurement frameworks at the county level, many of which were functioning effectively.
Chaos and Confusion
Multiple county governments report being locked out of critical procurement transactions for weeks with system errors, access issues and training gaps compounding the dysfunction.
Several suppliers have downed tools, citing confusion and non-payment.
In Kisumu, health procurement officers were unable to process emergency tenders for medical supplies last week, forcing the county to rely on ad hoc interventions.
In Nyeri, a pending agricultural input distribution program has stalled due to eGP registration glitches.
“Digitization should never mean disruption,” said a procurement expert familiar with both county and national systems.
“This rollout has become a textbook example of digital overreach—technocratic idealism clashing with governance realities.”
Treasury Under Fire
At the heart of the controversy is the Treasury’s rigid implementation timeline and blanket mandate requiring all entities to adopt the eGP platform without exception.
Treasury officials have defended the system, saying it enhances transparency, curbs corruption and aligns with international procurement standards.
But critics say the process has been anything but transparent.
Several counties claim they were given less than two weeks to comply with no clear fallback plan or technical support.
“This was not a rollout. It was a bulldozing,” said an official with the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, who noted that not all counties even have stable internet access to sustain a cloud-based procurement platform.
Bigger Questions on Governance
The backlash against the eGP platform is surfacing broader questions about devolution and national government overreach.
Analysts warn that centralized reforms imposed without adequate input from local governments risk undermining Kenya’s hard-won devolution gains.
“It’s not just about a digital system,” said policy analyst Dr. Martha Wekesa. “It’s about the top-down governance style that refuses to engage with lived realities on the ground. It’s not just inefficient; it’s dangerous.”
As pressure mounts, the CoG has called for an immediate suspension of the eGP rollout pending a comprehensive review and stakeholder consultation process.
Some county leaders are also threatening legal action.
Meanwhile, the chaos continues—and so does the cost. Essential services hang in the balance, and for many Kenyans, the promise of digital transformation has quickly soured into a painful lesson in poor planning and political hubris.
