Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has raised concern over the push by President William Ruto’s administration to enforce an electronic government procurement system on counties.
Olekina believes the move interferes with the autonomy of county governments and risks creating a deeper constitutional crisis.
He expressed his opposition on his X account, stressing that counties are semi-autonomous units that should not be subjected to directives that go beyond what the law provides.
His remarks come at a time when the government is rolling out the e-GP model that will centralise procurement processes across all levels of government starting from the 2025/26 financial year.
Olekina pointed to Article 219 of the Constitution, which requires counties to receive their share of national revenue without undue delay or deductions.
He argued that introducing an e-procurement system without proper consultation undermines this constitutional safeguard.
In his view, making the system mandatory for counties violates the principles of devolution and could lead to expensive legal battles.
Such litigation, he warned, would consume resources meant for development and affect the delivery of services to ordinary Kenyans.
The National Treasury, led by Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, has defended the e-GP model, saying it is designed to improve transparency, curb corruption, and save public funds.
The Treasury insists that centralising procurement will streamline operations and ensure accountability. However, county leaders feel that the approach ignores their specific needs and financial realities.
Governors, through the Council of Governors, have openly rejected the plan, saying it was imposed without enough dialogue or capacity building.
They argue that counties need support to adjust to such systems, and forcing compliance could delay payments to suppliers, stall development projects, and disrupt service delivery.
The standoff is happening in the wider context of a heated revenue-sharing debate.
Counties have complained about a large funding gap in the allocations for the 2025/26 financial year, with some estimates putting the shortfall at around Ksh140 billion.
This dispute has already fuelled tensions, with counties warning of delayed salaries and halted projects if the issue is not addressed.
The clash over both revenue and procurement highlights a growing mistrust between the national and county governments.
Olekina acknowledged that the idea behind the e-GP system may be good but insisted that the way it is being introduced is wrong.
He urged the President and his team to respect constitutional limits and ensure proper consultation with counties before enforcing such changes.
He maintained that the Council of Governors is right to defend devolution and county independence. According to him, ignoring these concerns could strain relations further and weaken the system of governance that the Constitution seeks to protect.
He concluded that both levels of government must work within the law to strengthen unity and development across the country.
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