Purchasing branded or promotional goods has been outlawed by the government for all state ministries, agencies, and corporations.
Felix Koskei, the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service under President William Ruto, directed accounting officers to follow the new regulation in a circular dated 18 March, 2024.
The email states that there won’t be any purchases of merchandise or promotional materials, including but not limited to t-shirts, shirts, tracksuits, and other branded apparel.
Koskei defended the move by stating that the administration was trying to streamline how the state spent and used its financial resources.
Part of the circular states, “All Ministries, State departments, and state corporations are directed to suspend and immediately cease the procurement, printing, and production of corporate wear, including but not limited to t-shirts, shirts, tracksuits, and other branded clothing, in order to further streamline the expenditure and optimise the utilisation of public resources.”
The Chief of Staff also outlawed the production of further products, including office supplies like notebooks, mugs, flasks, and other goods that would bear a department or ministry’s logo.
The circular states, in part, to “suspend and immediately cease the purchase of promotional merchandise such as calendars, umbrellas, bags, notebooks, and other promotional materials.”
