The recent government directive issued by Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, has put a stop to the purchase of promotional items funded by taxpayers' money. This includes a range of items such as calendars, diaries, umbrellas, power banks, keyholders, bags, flasks, cups, shukas, notebooks, and various other materials deemed non-essential. The memo explicitly mentions the suspension of procurement, printing, and production of corporate wear like t-shirts, shirts, tracksuits, and any other branded clothing items.
The push for fiscal consolidation and the cutting of government spending is highlighted as a key objective of this ban, aimed at safeguarding the public coffers from unnecessary expenses. President William Ruto has been facing challenges with a bloated budget since taking office in September 2022 and has thus initiated significant budget cuts to make room for fiscal adjustments. This latest move to limit spending on non-essential items is in line with efforts to ensure government entities operate within more restrained financial parameters and avoid wasteful expenditure.
While the government focuses on reducing expenses, it also aims to address revenue collection shortcomings, with the Kenya Revenue Authority reporting collection figures below the set targets. The need to meet revenue collection goals by the end of the financial year necessitates stringent measures to increase efficiency in public investments and optimize subsidies and transfers. Furthermore, enhancing the performance of State corporations and digitalizing public service delivery are part of the broader fiscal consolidation strategy to manage government finances more effectively.