Counties across the country are facing growing uncertainty as governors raise alarm over the rollout of the government’s electronic procurement system, commonly known as e-GP.
The Council of Governors, through its chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi, has warned that the system is slowing down financial transactions and disrupting essential services. Abdullahi said that the shift to the new platform has made it difficult for counties to process payments on time, leading to pending bills, delayed salaries, and strained relations with suppliers.
One of the areas most affected is service delivery, where counties depend on daily supplies such as fuel to keep operations running.
According to Abdullahi, fuel vendors in some regions have already suspended supplies because of non-payment, and this is directly affecting waste collection and other county services. He gave the example of what would happen if fuel was not delivered for even two days, explaining that garbage would pile up on the streets, creating a serious health and environmental crisis.
He stressed that governors are not opposed to the use of digital systems but pointed out that the e-GP rollout has been poorly managed, leaving counties in financial and operational distress.
The impact is being felt most by employees, with some counties already struggling to process salaries. This has sparked fears of looming strikes and paralysis in county functions, which would further weaken service delivery at a time when many citizens rely heavily on county governments for essential services.
Governors have also dismissed claims that they are resisting reforms, arguing instead that the Treasury sidelined them during the system’s implementation.
They warned that repeating the mistakes of past systems, such as the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), would only deepen the challenges.
Relief for counties came earlier this month when the High Court temporarily suspended the directive requiring all public entities to exclusively use the e-GP system.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued conservatory orders stopping the enforcement of a circular from the National Treasury and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.
This ruling was seen as a necessary intervention to give counties space to address operational difficulties while also allowing for more consultations on how the system can be better implemented.
The suspension is expected to prevent further disruption in the short term, ensuring that counties can still process payments and pay their employees without unnecessary delays.
However, governors maintain that unless urgent corrective measures are taken to stabilize financial processes and fix the flaws in the e-GP rollout, the risk of service breakdown and strikes will remain high.
They continue to urge the national government to involve counties fully in the process and find a balanced approach that allows automation without crippling essential services.
