May 17th 2019

Cheruiyot Korir

A team of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officials drawn from Preventive Department are at the Ministry of ICT for the next 19 days to audits systems and procedures for the centralised procurement of ICT goods and services for all Ministries, Agencies and Departments.

The Principal Secretary for ICT, Mr Jerome Ochieng, said, the effort to audit the systems and procedures were important in ensuring early detection of weaknesses in the processes and structures to facilitate interventions to deter corruption.

Speaking at the Telposta Towers today, during a meeting between Ministry of ICT Heads of Departments and the EACC experts, Mr Jerome said the Ministry will fully cooperate with the officials while undertaking the exercise.

Mr Jerome said the fight against corruption must be won. He pointed out that the Ministry is committed to fighting corruption to ensure value for taxes paid by citizens.

The Principal Secretary said the procurement of ICT goods and services was centralised to maintain standards of ICT equipment across the public Sector. He explained that equipment that meet good standards are important to minimise vulnerability of equipment and security breaches on networks.

He added that the consolidation of procurement is to enable the public sector benefit from the economies of scale derived from bulk purchases. He said this is the first year the procurement activity is undertaken and expressed optimism that operations will be smooth.

The Commission’s Director of Ethics and Leadership Ms Lucy Kinuthia said there is need to streamline and strengthening procurement of ICT goods and services because it would attract a lot of interest from bidders. Ms Kinuthia said her team would examine existing accountability frameworks, possible areas of corruption and administrative support for the procurement processes among other areas.

Ms Kinuthia said the team would prepare a report and submit to the Principal Secretary after 19 days of the exercise to allow for implementation of recommendations.