Sustainability and Sustainable International Public Procurement Law in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t2529Abstract
This paper examined sustainability and sustainable international public procurement law in Kenya, analyzing the integration of environmental, social, and economic sustainability principles within the country's procurement framework. Through comprehensive desktop research, the study identifies a procurement system in transition, characterized by an emerging legal foundation for sustainability that has yet to translate into consistent implementation practices across government entities and sectors. Drawing on Institutional Theory and Stakeholder Theory, the analysis reveals significant implementation gaps stemming from institutional capacity constraints, market readiness limitations, and asymmetric stakeholder influence patterns. Findings indicate substantial sectoral variations in sustainability integration, with energy and agriculture demonstrating more advanced practices compared to infrastructure, healthcare, and general services. While Kenya's procurement regulations align with approximately 58% of international sustainable procurement standards, placing it ahead of regional peers, significant challenges persist in operationalizing sustainability principles, particularly in lifecycle costing methodologies, criteria development, and monitoring mechanisms. The research concludes by recommending a multidimensional approach addressing regulatory refinement, capacity development, supplier engagement, digital transformation, and stakeholder participation to advance Kenya's sustainable procurement practices within the international legal context.
Keywords: Sustainability, Sustainable International Public Procurement & Kenya
References
African Development Bank. (2020). Sustainable Development in Africa: The Role of Public Procurement. Retrieved from https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/sustainable-development-in-africa-the-role-of-public-procurement
Andhov, M., Caranta, R., Stoffel, T., Grandia, J., Janssen, W. A., Vornicu, R., ... & Wiesbrock, A. (2020). Sustainability through public procurement: the way forward–Reform Proposals.
Celestin, M. (2020). Challenges and solutions in procurement processes for local government contracts in Rwanda. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Modern Education (IJMRME), 6(2), 63-70.
Dimand, A. M. (2022). Determinants of local government innovation: the case of green public procurement in the United States. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 35(5), 584-602.
Džupka, P., Kubák, M., & Nemec, P. (2020). Sustainable public procurement in Central European countries. Can it also bring savings?. Sustainability, 12(21), 9241.
Fourie, D., & Malan, C. (2020). Public procurement in the South African economy: Addressing the systemic issues. Sustainability, 12(20), 8692.
Gatari, C. N. (2023). Public Procurement Practices and Sustainable Performance of State Corporations in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, JKUAT-COHRED).
Ghossein, T., Hoekman, B., & Shingal, A. (2021). Public procurement, regional integration, and the belt and road initiative. The World Bank Research Observer, 36(2), 131-163.
International Trade Centre (ITC). (2021). Sustainable Public Procurement: A Guide for Policymakers. Retrieved from https://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Publications/2021-SPP-Guide-for-Policymakers.pdf
Ishak, N. F., & Thiruchelvam, V. (2024). Sustainable innovations in Malaysia’s public procurement: strategic policy initiatives and coherences. International Journal of Innovation Science, 16(2), 338-372.
Karikari, A. M., Tettevi, P. K., Amaning, N., Opoku Ware, E., & Kwarteng, C. (2022). Modeling the implications of internal audit effectiveness on value for money and sustainable procurement performance: An application of structural equation modeling. Cogent Business & Management, 9(1), 2102127.
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). (n.d.). KEBS - Promoting Quality in Kenya. Retrieved from https://www.kebs.org/
Liu, J., Ma, Y., Appolloni, A., & Cheng, W. (2021). How external stakeholders drive the green public procurement practice? An organizational learning perspective. Journal of Public Procurement, 21(2), 138-166.
Molin, E., Martin, M., & Björklund, A. (2021). Addressing sustainability within public procurement of food: a systematic literature review. Sustainability, 13(23), 13395.
Mwanzu, A., Bosire-Ogechi, E., & Odero, D. (2023). Green initiatives towards environmental sustainability: Insights from libraries in Kenya. IFLA journal, 49(2), 298-314.
Nagitta, P. O., Mugurusi, G., Obicci, P. A., & Awuor, E. (2022). Human-centered artificial intelligence for the public sector: The gate keeping role of the public procurement professional. Procedia Computer Science, 200, 1084-1092.
Obicci, P. A., Mugurusi, G., & Nagitta, P. O. (2021). Establishing the connection between successful disposal of public assets and sustainable public procurement practice. Sustainable Futures, 3, 100049.
Ogbu, A. D., Eyo-Udo, N. L., Adeyinka, M. A., Ozowe, W., & Ikevuje, A. H. (2023). A conceptual procurement model for sustainability and climate change mitigation in the oil, gas, and energy sectors. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 20(3), 1935-1952.
Ojijo, A. D. (2023). Effect of Sustainable Supplier Selection on Procurement Performance of Chartered Public Universities in Kenya. International Journal of Management, Accounting & Economics, 10(7).
Oluka, P. N., Okoche, M., & Mugurusi, G. (2021). Public procurement and competitiveness of women-owned businesses: a structural equation model (SEM) for gender-responsive procurement in Uganda. World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 17(2), 209-226.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2020). Sustainable Public Procurement in Emerging Economies. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/environment/tools-evaluation/sustainable-public-procurement-emerging-economies.htm
Shatta, D. N., Shayo, F. A., & Layaa, J. N. (2020). Determinants of e-procurement adoption model for green procurement in developing countries: Experience from Tanzania. International Academic Journal of Procurement and Supply Chain Management, 3(2), 1-18.
Stein, M., Hunter, D., Swensson, L., Schneider, S., & Tartanac, F. (2022). Public food procurement: A transformative instrument for sustainable food systems. Sustainability, 14(11), 6766.
Swensson, L. F., & Tartanac, F. (2020). Public food procurement for sustainable diets and food systems: the role of the regulatory framework. Global Food Security, 25, 100366.
Swensson, L., Hunter, D., Schneider, S., & Tartanac, F. (2021). Public food procurement for sustainable food systems and healthy diets-Volume 2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2020). Sustainable Public Procurement. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/resources/report/sustainable-public-procurement
Welz, T., & Stuermer, M. (2020, June). Sustainability of ICT hardware procurement in Switzerland: A status-quo analysis of the public procurement sector. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on ICT for Sustainability (pp. 158-169).
World Bank Group. (2021). Corporate Responsibility: Sustainability Review - World Bank Group. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/world-bank-sustainability-review
World Bank Group. (2021). Toward a Clean, Green, Resilient World for All - World Bank Group. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment/publication/environment-strategy-toward-clean-green-resilient-world
World Bank Group. (2025). World Bank Group - International Development, Poverty and Sustainability. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/home
World Bank. (2019). The 2030 Sustainable Development 30 - World Bank. Retrieved from https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/259801562965232326-0270022019/original/2030Agenda2019finalweb.pdf
