Businesswomen up in arms over 'sex for contracts'
Women leaders and traders have protested against sexual harassment and bribery allegedly perpetuated by procurement officers in different government departments when awarding contracts.
What you need to know:
- A report on the affirmative programme has exposed procurement departments as obstacles to women and special groups seeking business opportunities.
- It also emerged that no government department or agency has complied with requirements for Access to Government Procurement Opportunities since its inception in 2013.
Women leaders and traders have protested against sexual exploitation and bribery allegedly perpetuated by procurement officers in different government departments when awarding contracts.
A report on the affirmative programme by The Institute of Social Accountability (Tisa) has exposed procurement departments as obstacles to women and special groups seeking business opportunities.
During a consultative forum attended by women and persons living with disabilities (PWDs) in Trans Nzoia at the weekend, it also emerged that no government department or agency has complied with Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) requirements since the programme's inception in 2013.
Tisa national coordinator Diana Gichengo faulted procurement officers for making it difficult for women to access the opportunities. Ms Gichengo cited sexual harassment and corruption as some of the problems limiting opportunities for women and PWDs. She pointed out that women-led businesses suffer at the hands of public officers, adding that harassment and delayed payment push them out of business.
“The 30 per cent AGPO opportunities for women, youth and people living with disabilities have yet to become a reality in Kenya. We must start a conversation to change this,” said Ms Gichengo.
She called for the full implementation of AGPO to benefit women and special groups. Other participants at the one-day seminar also put procurement officers on notice.
A contractor from Trans Nzoia, who sought anonymity, said she has encountered sexual advances on several occasions before being given a county government contract.
“This is the problem many women go through. Many procurement bosses want to use you sexually or need a bribe before you win a tender,” she told Nation.Africa.
Bureaucracy
Trans Nzoia Women Leaders Chairperson Ever Nyamongo pointed out that women are still disadvantaged when seeking business opportunities as most of them are mistreated and sexually harassed.
“We ask the government to support women to do business. Our President (William Ruto) should focus on initiatives that support women in business without a lot of bureaucracy,” said Ms Nyamongo.
AGPO was launched in 2013 as an affirmative action programme to facilitate legal requirements for disadvantaged and special groups to access at least 30 per cent of contracts offered by the national and county governments.
The Kenya Economic Survey report shows that women received only 26 per cent of the total funds reserved for AGPO in the 2019/20 financial year.
Eighty-nine per cent of the women interviewed said corruption in procurement includes being forced to pay bribes to win contracts, while 42 per cent said they are always coerced or pressured to offer sexual favours for their bids to win.
