The Principal Secretary, State Department for Public Investments and Assets Management (SDPIAM) Mr. Cyrell Wagunda has urged procurement and supply chain management professionals to uphold high standards of ethics and integrity by placing public interests above personal interest.

Mr. Wagunda who was represented by the Director of Public Procurement Department (PPD) Mr. Eric Korir during the sixth (6th) graduation (certificate award ceremony) of the Kenya Institute of Supplies Examination Board (KISEB) noted that the country is not only in need of competent professionals but also trustworthy people who can be champions of accountability even when no one is watching.

During the ceremony held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), 432 candidates were awarded the Certified Procurement and Supply Professional of Kenya (CPSP-K) while 23 received the Associate in Procurement and Supply of Kenya (APS-K). Additionally 540 candidates were awarded part certificates in recognition of their progress towards the completion of their professional studies.

The PS emphasized that, as the government advanced the development agenda like building roads, equipping hospitals, constructing schools, expanding digital infrastructure, supporting  a
development among others, one reality remains constant: development outcomes are only as effective as the systems that deliver them.

“At the heart of those systems lies procurement and supply chain management. Procurement is no longer an administrative activity confined to purchasing goods and services. It has evolved into a strategic function that influences organizational performance, public trust, fiscal sustainability, and national competitiveness,” said the PS in his speech.

He commended the remarkable progress that KISEB has made over the years in student enrolment, the expansion of accredited training institutions, the increasing number of qualified professionals, and the ongoing modernization of examination systems, demonstrating an institution that is responsive to the needs of a changing environment.

He reiterated that SDPIAM remains committed to strengthening governance, accountability, and professionalism within the public sector by ensuring that public institutions are managed by competent professionals who possess the knowledge, skills, and ethical standards necessary to safeguard public resources.

The Chair of KISEB Board Prof. Romanus Odhiambo noted the graduates have a serious responsibility as professionals to determine whether hospitals are well supplied, schools are resourced, infrastructure is delivered, and public funds are used efficiently and ethically.

“As you step forward today, remember you are not just graduates but custodians of systems that determine whether public resources translate into real development outcomes. Your work will influence whether value is created or lost, whether integrity is upheld or compromised, whether efficiency is achieved or wasted. That is the responsibility of a procurement professional, hold it with honour, protect it with integrity, advance it with excellence,” said Prof. Odhiambo.

The ceremony was attended by various stakeholders among them the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KISEB Dr. Fred Ongisa, Chairperson Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM) CPSP Jeniffer Cirindi, CEO KISM Mr. Kenneth Matiba and CEO of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Mr. Geoffrey Monari alongside other participants.