ODM leader Raila Odinga has proposed a Bill that he says will compel the government to pay all suppliers within 30 days.
Prompt Payment Bill 2016 will be used to counter-check invoices given to suppliers and follow up on them to ensure payments are made.
"It is painful to see many young people around the country struggling to get loans from banks to supply (products and services) to the government with the hope of payment," he said on Thursday.
"(They wait) months and years before payment is received meanwhile accruing interest on the loans. This act is impoverishing the youth."
Raila said the Bill aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption will soon be presented to Parliament. He said his party, which will sponsor it, expects the support of all members.
Raila added that it is clear that service providers must part with 'kitu kidogo', under the Jubilee government, in order to be paid.
He said the process they undergo is five-step - taking a loan, supplying goods or services, waiting months or years, accruing interest on the loan and then being forced to part with another amunt of money.
"The area of payment of public invoices has the highest prevalence of corruption in Kenya. The Prompt Payment bill seeks to put an end to this," he noted.
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Raila said the Bill provides for
questions about invoices to be raised within the 30 days and clearly communicated to the supplier.
"There is no excuse for any public authority to delay supplies after payment has been made," he
told a press conference.
He added that decisions not to pay suppliers must come after the query period lapses and that the business people must be notified in good time.
Raila said the party
came up with the Bill after concern by business people who said they had made losses.
He said it will apply to all public authorities if it is passed into law.
"Jubilee has no way of fighting corruption. The little they have done... They have ran out of ideas. The Bill will put an end to abuse of office," he said.
"I hope Jubilee will support the Bill since it is of good to all Kenyans."
Raila said on Wednesday that
President Uhuru Kenyatta was guilty of corrupt activities carried out by his administration by virtue of his silence on the matter.
He claimed Uhuru was protecting criminal business associates, whom he did not name, and had reached the end of his ability to fight corruption.
He added that the businessmen were working with government officials to steal billions of shillings meant for projects that touch on society's "very survival".
Uhuru scolded government officials over rampant corruption in an address in October, saying the situation is frustrating.
He told the accountability summit at State House in Nairobi that officials
do not want to deal with the issue in courts and the judiciary.
"Corruption is frustrating me. The pressure is on me to do something about corruption but my hands are tied," he said.
"Tell me... Which administration has dealt with the issue of corruption, like my administration has, since independence?"