Kenya Literature Bureau Managing Director George Okeyo speaks when he appeared before the National Assembly's Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. /PARLIAMENT
The Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) has appealed to Parliament to help it recover more than Sh251 million owed by government institutions, warning that the long-outstanding debts are straining its operations and undermining its financial stability.
Among the institutions with outstanding balances are public universities, national and county government agencies, schools and other state entities that procured books and educational materials from KLB.
KLB sought parliamentary intervention in recovering the monies when its officials appeared before the National Assembly's Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education on Tuesday.
The committee chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu was examining the Auditor General's reports covering KLB's financial statements for the period between the 2018/19 and 2024/25 financial years.
According to the reports, KLB's financial statements show trade and other receivables amounting to Sh1.05 billion, of which Sh251.5 million has remained outstanding for more than 90 days, raising concerns over the bureau's debt recovery.
The audit findings prompted sharp criticism from MPs, who questioned why the state-owned publisher had failed to recover the money despite some of the debts dating back nearly a decade.
Maungu said recovering even part of the outstanding amount would ease the bureau's financial challenges and reduce pressure on its operations.
"If you recover even a fraction of these debts, you will be able to pay salaries for some of your staff," he said.
Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima dismissed KLB's argument that statutory limitation periods prevented it from pursuing some debtors, saying the courts have powers to extend timelines where circumstances justify it.
"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.
MPs objected to KLB's proposal to write off a Sh921,000 debt owed by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), insisting that every available recovery avenue must first be exhausted before any public institution is declared an irrecoverable debtor.
Maungu warned against what he termed a growing culture of state agencies writing off debts instead of pursuing payment, saying Parliament would closely monitor the bureau's recovery efforts.
He urged the bureau's management to intensify recovery efforts instead of relying on debt write-offs.
KLB officials, however, defended the bureau's efforts, arguing that recovering debts from fellow government entities has proved difficult despite years of engagement.
Managing Director George Okeyo told the committee that the bureau had exhausted the administrative mechanisms available to it but lacked the legal authority to take stronger action against other state institutions.
"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.
Assistant Finance Manager Kenneth Adongo said delayed payments by government institutions remain one of KLB's biggest operational challenges.
He revealed that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) alone owes the bureau more than Sh1.3 billion, making it difficult for KLB to pay its own suppliers and sustain operations.
Adongo also cited frequent curriculum changes, saying they often leave booksellers with unsold textbooks worth millions of shillings, further complicating debt recovery across the publishing value chain.
Okeyo assured MPs that KLB has strengthened its debt recovery framework by establishing a dedicated credit control function to ensure all sales are closely monitored until payment is received.
The MPs, however, insisted that the bureau back its explanations with verifiable facts and documentary evidence as Parliament steps up scrutiny of state corporations' financial management.
Maungu directed the committee secretariat to summon the Council of Governors to explain outstanding debts owed by county governments to state agencies, including KLB.
He also said the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury would be required to explain delayed payments to government institutions.
