State to Enhance Professionalism in the Supply Chain
The Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM) assures that the government is committed to enhancing professionalism in the supply chain.
Speaking on Wednesday during a working tour of KISM in Nairobi, Felix Kosgei, head of public service and chief of staff, said civil servants involved in the supply chain need to be professionals and must adhere to laws and regulations.
He added that building the capacity of procurement staff is critical if the government is to deliver its pledges.
Procurement is not just walking into a supermarket to pick something and taking it to the office. You have to look at timing, quality and other options,” he explained.
A supply chain encompasses everything from the delivery of source materials from the supplier to the manufacturer through to its eventual delivery to the end user.
In the government sector, the supply chain is at the heart of efficient service delivery.
Supply chain in government is a difficult task as the movement of goods and services through a number of bureaucratic levels and agencies takes time, requires complex planning and is susceptible to errors.
Delays in the chain of events can lead to misplaced directives issued by the government, slower delivery times, inaccurate data and loss of revenue.
On Wednesday, Koskei said KISM is a strategic institution in economic development.
Members of the institute are critical to service delivery and effectiveness of government. It is for this reason that we want to be partners with them,” he stated.
KISM chair John Ndiwa said that the institute is ready to engage with the executive to streamline procurement.
We are ready for the challenge because we are well equipped. The support we needed is here, so we have no excuse,” he said.
Ndiwa regretted that the procurement departments almost always take the blame when things go wrong in the government.
The procurement people are always blamed when things go wrong but the fault is sometimes far away,” he said.
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