Parliament has delivered a major blow to President William Ruto and Public Procurement Regulatory Board Chair John Mbadi by rejecting a directive that all government tenders be exclusively processed through the e procurement portal.

Lawmakers said the order would undermine public participation, limit competition and potentially disenfranchise small suppliers who lack the technological capacity to navigate the digital platform.

The decision came during a heated session in which MPs accused the executive of attempting to centralise procurement control and bypass established tendering systems in ministries, state agencies and counties.

Legislators argued that forcing all bidders to use the portal without alternative application windows would slow down service delivery and possibly breed corruption within the very system meant to enhance transparency.

They also expressed concern that many suppliers in rural areas still lack sufficient internet access and training to comply with the strict online requirements being imposed.

Several MPs insisted procurement laws already allow for both manual and electronic submissions and warned that locking out one route went beyond the powers of the executive.

They argued it was Parliament’s responsibility to amend legislation on procurement not the role of State House or regulatory appointees to dictate how tenders should be processed.

The lawmakers further warned that the directive could be weaponised to exclude political opponents from bidding for lucrative state contracts by controlling access to the digital platform. Some even claimed powerful contractors close to senior officials would be favoured in the new system.

By shooting down the directive MPs have set the stage for a possible standoff with President Ruto’s administration over procurement reforms. They demanded wider consultations with stakeholders including the private sector before any radical changes are implemented.

The rejection piles pressure on Mbadi to revisit the order or risk being accused of overreach as Parliament strengthens its guard over public procurement procedures.