The Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM) has uncovered a significant number of unlicensed supply chain management practitioners working in various public institutions across the country.
Over the past two weeks, KISM conducted compliance checks at five public institutions and found that seventeen officers were operating without the necessary licensure and registration.
Speaking during a press briefing KISM CEO Kenneth Matiba highlighted the institutions involved included The Technical University of Kenya (TUK) with twelve non-compliant practitioners, The Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya with four, and the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) with one.
Matiba expressed gratitude to the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) and the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) for their cooperation during the compliance checks. Both organizations facilitated the prompt registration and licensing of their practitioners.
“According to Section 32 of the SPMA, employing an unregistered or unlicensed supply chain management practitioner is an offense punishable by a fine not exceeding 500,000 shillings, imprisonment for up to three years, or both. Furthermore, if the employer is a corporation, the Chief Executive Officer is also liable for these penalties” said Matiba.
KISM has urged all supply chain management practitioners to ensure they comply with SPMA regulations regarding membership and licensing. The Institute will continue its nationwide compliance checks as part of its mandate to enforce these regulations.
In addition to its compliance efforts, KISM has completed disciplinary proceedings for forty-five cases of professional misconduct. These cases, investigated and adjudicated by KISM’s Disciplinary Committee, revealed that forty-four practitioners from the County Government of Homabay and one former employee from the County Government of Vihiga were found to be practicing without a license between January and December 2023.
The Disciplinary Committee, established under the SPMA and guided by the Supplies Practitioners Management (Discipline) Regulations, 2015, has imposed various penalties. Out of the forty-four cases, two practitioners were fined, thirty-two received severe reprimands, and judgments for eleven cases will be announced on September 27, 2024.
KISM has indicated that it will publicly disclose the outcomes of these disciplinary proceedings to emphasize its commitment to enforcing compliance. The Institute also encourages employers and the public to be vigilant and report any unlicensed practitioners. Complaints can be submitted through KISM’s website.
KISM has announced that it will proceed with legal action as stipulated by the Supplies Practitioners Management Act (SPMA) No. 17 of 2007.
As KISM continues to conduct audits and investigate professional misconduct, the Institute remains dedicated to upholding the standards of the supply chain management profession in Kenya.