NAIROBI, Kenya- Principal Secretary for Public Investments and Assets Management (PIAM) Cyrell Wagunda has been recognised as the Public Sector Procurement and Assets Management Leader of the Year at the Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Summit held in Lagos, Nigeria.
The award was presented during a ceremony held on the sidelines of the continental summit, which brought together procurement, supply chain and logistics professionals from across Africa to share best practices aimed at strengthening procurement systems, improving infrastructure delivery and promoting sustainable development.
According to the State Department for Public Investments and Assets Management, the recognition reflects growing confidence in Kenya’s efforts to strengthen public institutions, enhance procurement standards and leverage Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure projects.
In his acceptance speech, delivered on his behalf by PIAM Head of Supply Chain Ruth Barasa, Wagunda dedicated the award to public sector professionals whose commitment to strengthening procurement, asset management and infrastructure delivery has contributed to improved public service.
“This recognition comes at a time when African governments are increasingly called upon to deliver greater public value through limited resources. Public procurement has evolved beyond a mere administrative function to a more strategic instrument for economic transformation, good governance, service delivery and sustainable development,” the Principal Secretary said.
Wagunda reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to building procurement systems that are transparent, competitive, accountable and anchored on value for money.
He noted that achieving Africa’s infrastructure ambitions will require closer collaboration between governments, the private sector, development partners, financiers and citizens.
“Africa’s infrastructure ambitions cannot be realized by governments working in isolation but require strong partnerships between governments, the private sector, development partners, financiers and the citizens. Through greater collaboration, knowledge sharing and institutional strengthening, governments can build procurement systems that inspire investor confidence while safeguarding the public interest,” he said.
The Principal Secretary added that his State Department will continue promoting efficient public asset management while expanding the use of the Public-Private Partnership model to mobilise private investment, innovation and technical expertise in infrastructure development and public service delivery.
“We must also reaffirm our shared responsibility to continue building procurement systems that are fair, transparent, inclusive and capable of delivering lasting public value,” he said.
Kenya also received additional recognition during the awards, with the PPP Directorate winning the Collaborative Governance Award in Public Procurement.
The Directorate’s Director General, Eng. Kefa Seda, was honoured for PPP Infrastructure Procurement and Investment Leadership, while the Directorate’s Head of Procurement, Monicah Mwangi, received the Emerging Procurement Leader of the Year award.
