[SIZE=7]Uhuru freezes new projects until ongoing ones are completed[/SIZE]
Jul. 20, 2018, 3:00 pm
By PSCU @thestarkenya
https://www.the-star.co.ke/sites/default/files/styles/new_full_content/public/articles/2018/07/20/1790486.jpg?itok=_w9wK4WhPresident Uhuru Kenyatta addressing government accounting officers including Principal Secretaries, Parastatal Heads, Vice Chancellors of Public Universities and Chairmen of State Corporations at KICC, Nairobi. /PSCU
The government has placed a freeze on new development projects until ongoing ones are completed.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday issued the directive to government accounting officers whom he warned would be held responsible if they sanction new projects without express authority from the National Treasury.
Uhuru said the directive is aimed at stopping wastage of resources and the habit of government agencies abandoning incomplete projects and jumping onto others.
“There will be no new projects that will be embarked on until you complete those that are ongoing,” said the President who spoke at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre KICC.
Read: Uhuru to corruption suspects: ‘Your tribe won’t protect you’
He was addressing a meeting bringing together government accounting officers including Principal Secretaries, Parastatal Heads, Vice Chancellors of Public Universities and Chairmen of State Corporations.
The President said projects exempt from the freeze are only those directly aligned to the Big Four Agenda but even then there must be a written authorisation from the National Treasury.
“Even if new projects are aligned to the Big Four they cannot be started without express authority from CS or PS of the National Treasury,” Uhuru said.
At the same time, Uhuru announced that the Government will soon launch a new internet portal where all procurements will be publicised.
The President said all procurements, tenders and contracts will be advertised on the portal to create transparency in order to safeguard public resources from theft.
“All procurement officers have been taken through the operations of the portal and they have given their feedback. The portal will be launched soon,” he said.
Uhuru urged the officers to know that Kenyans expect them to be guardians of public resources and assured Kenyans that the renewed war against corruption will go on.
Further, the President told those who act within the law that there should be nothing to fear.