Ministries ordered to stop buying umbrellas, cups, t-shirts and other promotional materials

In a circular, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei directed the said offices to optimize their operations by rationalizing all non-priority expenditures in line with guidelines issued by the National Treasury.

Following this, the procurement, printing and production of corporate wear, including t-shirt, shirts, track suits and branded clothing, has been suspended.

In the cease and desist directive, Koskei further ordered the suspension of the purchase of promotional items.

“Suspend and immediately cease the purchase of promotional merchandise such as calendars, diaries, umbrellas, power banks, key holders, bags, flasks, cups, branded traditional blankets (shukas) and notebooks,” he noted.

All departments have been directed to ensure full implementation of the austerity measures in efforts to protect social development spending.

This comes a day after President William Ruto directed that the government, including State corporations, must live within its means. 

The President also directed the CEOs to reduce their recurrent budgets by 30 per cent.

Additionally, commercial State corporations must, from now on, remit 80 per cent of their profits after tax to the National Treasury.

"We will give you directions on what to do with the remaining 20 per cent," the President said.

Regulatory institutions were ordered to remit 90 per cent of their surplus funds to the Treasury.