Youth, women yet to get 30pc State tenders, agency says

Hannah Ndugire (right) supervises workers of her company as they pave streets in Olkalou town in Nyandarua County. An ambitious plan by the Jubilee administration to give youth, women and the disabled 30 per cent of all government tenders is yet to be fully realised, a new report shows. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ministries, State Departments and State House had 1,533 contracts awarded.
  • The regulatory authority noted that persons living with disabilities were awarded the least contracts in terms of number and value.
  • Some procuring entities, the report noted, did not award contracts to this target group at all.

An ambitious plan by the Jubilee administration to give youth, women and the disabled 30 per cent of all government tenders is yet to be fully realised.

This is according to the latest report compiled by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.

The agency’s latest report for 2017-2018 tabled in Parliament indicate that cumulatively, only 23.4 percent of tenders were awarded to the youth.

“From the review of the requirement that procuring entities reserve at least 30 per cent their annual planned procurement spends for the target groups, cumulatively, during the 2017/2018, the two levels of government cumulatively planned to spend Sh194 billion on their procurements of which Sh45 billion was reserved for procurement of goods, works and services from firms owned by youth, women and people living with disability. This represents a reservation of 23 percent which less than the required minimum of 30 percent,” reads the report.

The regulatory authority noted that persons living with disabilities were awarded the least contracts in terms of number and value.

Some procuring entities, the report noted, did not award contracts to this target group at all.

The report says that state corporations reported the highest number of contract awards at 8,340 followed by universities, colleges and polytechnics and technical institutions at 3,610.

Ministries, State Departments and State House had 1,533 contracts awarded.