Kenyan Government contracts used to be seen as a lucrative ticket for digital creators and tech savvy entrepreneurs in Kenya. But for Elvis W, a well-known writer and digital creator, that viewpoint has extremely switched.
In the latest pronouncement, Elvis categorically explained why he no longer and will never pursues government contracts, and why other people in the tech industry should think otherwise pursuing the same.
“There was a time I got excited at the thought of landing a government project. These days, I avoid them like a bad virus,” he narrated.
Elvis made it crystal clear that his decision is not because of deficiency of skills or inability to deliver. Instead, he points to a tendency of deep-rooted corruption behavior, delayed vendor payments and inflated budgets that bedevil many government tech projects.
“You’re Not Hired for Your Talent, You’re Hired to Feed the System,”. He said.
In one instance, Elvis remember quoting KES 350,000 for a custom website project that included design, integrations, security and hosting. Nevertheless, before the project was approved, the budget had gone up to KES 2.5 million.
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Why? He give reason that every stakeholder wanted something for tea. Starting from CEOs, board members and procurement officers. In short everyone expected unofficial payments.
“You end up chasing signatures like a beggar with a pen,” he stated. “And to make it worse, KRA still expects you to pay tax on the full inflated amount.” He recounts.
On the same, Elvis also highlighted the developing tendency of awarding contracts to people based on connections instead of competence. Which leads to many government websites remaining broken and digital initiatives failing, despite massive taxpayers money used.
“I’ve had MPs and parastatal reps approach me for websites, youth events, and digital services. I stopped accepting. You end up doing the real work, bribing your way in, getting underpaid, overtaxed, and delayed.”
Elvis says he would rather prefers working with genuine private clients through digital advertising instead of navigating through the murky waters of government contracts.
“I’d rather run a Meta Ad, get a clean 30K from a real client—no bribes, no politics, no circus,” he said. “Sometimes, the smaller jobs bring bigger peace.” He said.
In a parting shot, Elvis’s advised digital professionals in Kenya that peace of mind and integrity would be worth more than inflated, problematic government tenders. He ended with a strong warning:
“The moment you have to pay to work, you’ve already lost.”
