The Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) has appealed to Parliament for intervention in recovering more than Sh251 million in long-outstanding debts.
KLB warns that delayed payments by government institutions are undermining its financial stability and ability to sustain operations.
The appeal was made before the National Assembly's Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education during a session reviewing reports by the Auditor-General on KLB's financial statements covering the period between the 2018/19 and 2024/25 financial years.
The concerns come at a time when the state-owned publisher, which has played a central role in producing and distributing educational materials in Kenya for over six decades, continues to grapple with cash flow challenges driven largely by unpaid bills from public institutions.
According to Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, KLB's financial statements indicate trade and other receivables amounting to Sh1.05 billion, with Sh251.5 million remaining unpaid for more than 90 days.
The audit raised concerns over the recoverability of the debts and their impact on the bureau's financial position.
Committee Chairperson and Luanda MP Dick Maungu criticized the bureau for what legislators described as insufficient efforts to recover the outstanding amounts.
"If you recover even a fraction of these debts, you will be able to pay salaries for some of your staff. The bureau must intensify recovery efforts instead of resorting to writing off debts," Maungu said.
KLB Managing Director George Okeyo defended the institution, explaining that the bureau had exhausted available administrative avenues but lacked sufficient legal authority to aggressively pursue fellow government agencies.
"If we are allowed by the government to take drastic action against fellow government institutions, we would do so. We have used all the avenues available to KLB over the years, but we have failed to recover these debts," Okeyo told the committee.
Members of Parliament also questioned why some debts dating as far back as 2015 remained unresolved. Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima challenged the bureau's proposal to write off some debts based on statutory time limitations.
"It shows a lack of seriousness. If you have a legal adviser, they should know that courts can extend time to enable recovery where necessary," Kirima said.
The committee further opposed KLB's proposal to write off a Sh921,000 debt owed by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), insisting that all legal avenues must first be exhausted before declaring the amount irrecoverable.
Assistant Finance Manager Kenneth Adongo identified delayed payments by public institutions as one of the bureau's greatest operational challenges.
He disclosed that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) owes KLB more than Sh1.3 billion, significantly affecting the bureau's ability to pay suppliers and maintain smooth operations.
Adongo also noted that frequent curriculum reviews have left booksellers with unsold textbooks worth millions of shillings, further complicating debt collection and inventory management.
In response, Maungu directed the committee secretariat to summon the Council of Governors to explain debts owed by county governments to state agencies.
KLB is mandated to publish curriculum support materials, educational books and government publications. Over the years, the bureau has been instrumental in supplying textbooks to schools, particularly during major curriculum reforms, including the transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
