Nairobi, Feb. 27 -- The Treasury has admitted that crafty domestic suppliers are frustrating a government directive that public agencies procure at least 40 percent of their consumable products locally, hurting the creation of fresh employment opportunities for a growing skilled youthful population.

In the latest disclosure, the Treasury admitted that the 'Buy Kenya, Build Kenya' initiative, which was put in place nearly a decade ago, has failed to hit the targeted levels in public procurement.

"The challenge [to achieving 40 percent local content quota in government procurement] is local merchants are providing imported products once given contracts to procure for the government," it said in its 2024 Budget Policy Statement.

Under the...