The Government has moved to reinstate supplies at the troubled National Youth Service (NYS) while weeding out unscrupulous contracts.
In a notice appearing in dailies, NYS has invited suppliers and service providers to register afresh to supply goods and services between 2018 and 2020.
According to the notice, current suppliers are also required to apply afresh for consideration.
"Suppliers are now required to download registration documents from the National Treasury website and tender their applications with mandatory qualification documents. All applications should have been received at the institution by July 29, 2018," states the notice.
It comes after the cancellation of an earlier suppliers' list ordered last week by Ministry of Public Service Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia.
Following the cancellation, sources indicated that the institution was facing a huge challenge in feeding NYS servicemen and women after some suppliers stopped deliveries.
"Some of us who have been doing genuine business with NYS have not been paid for the last four years. We feel bad when we read reports of people being paid millions for supplying nothing," said a supplier who sought anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Senior officers plead
Another supplier said some senior officers at NYS had been pleading with food suppliers to continue delivering, promising that they would ensure the business people are paid.
The suppliers have, however, vowed not to make any further deliveries until all they are owed is paid.
Prof Kobia had promised major changes at NYS when she introduced a new Director General Matilda Sakwa, and a new team of procurement officers to the institution last week.
“The ministry has undertaken in-depth assessment of NYS systems, policies, procedures and practices and is in the process of addressing each satisfactorily. The nature of management at NYS requires a multi-pronged, impartial and sustained strategy,” Kobia said.
The CS then stopped payments of pending bills amounting to Sh5.6 billion for supplies delivered to NYS last year, a move that is said to have compounded the troubles facing the service.
The move to freeze the payments escalated the simmering crisis after suppliers scared of not getting paid stopped delivering goods.
Three weeks ago, the CS refuted claims that operations at the NYS were at a standstill.
In a statement, CS Kobia said more than 10,000 servicemen and women were still at the NYS Vocational Training School, while another 14,000 were active in various parts of the county undertaking the national service duties.
“No operations have ground to a halt in any of our NYS campuses,” read part of the statement.
Servicemen paid
Kobia also denied reports that NYS servicemen and women had not been paid.
“The last batch of students was paid on Friday June 8, 2018,” she said.
The CS said payment of suppliers would be done after due diligence was carried out.
