- The National Assembly Education Committee has questioned KLB over KSh1.9 billion spent out of a KSh2.2 billion recurrent allocation in the 2025/2026 financial year.
- The MPsKLB’s savings of over KSh79 million in gratuity and pension, asking whether this reflects unfilled staff positions or over-budgeting.
- KLB has told the Committee it expects about KSh600 million worth of dead stock in curriculum materials following recent education curriculum reforms.
The National Assembly Education Committee has questioned the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) over its budget implementation, demanding explanations for significant amounts of money left unspent during the 2025/2026 financial year.
The Committee’s latest sitting brought the issue into sharp focus when it examined KLB’s financial performance. KLB reported that it had spent about KSh1.9 billion out of a recurrent allocation of KSh2.2 billion. Managing Director George Okeyo attributed the variance partly to the late approval of the supplementary budget by the National Treasury, which left the Bureau with limited time to implement the approved plans.
KLB also reported a KSh44.5 million variance in its development budget, representing about 41 per cent of the development allocation. The Bureau attributed the under-commitment to non-responsive tenders for the purchase of printing-related machinery.
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The Committee further raised questions over savings in personal emoluments. Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo questioned why KLB had saved more than KSh79 million in gratuity and pension, asking whether the savings were linked to failure to recruit staff despite widespread unemployment, or whether the Bureau had simply over-budgeted.
The KLB presentation also exposed a challenge arising from education reforms. The Bureau told the Committee that it expects approximately KSh600 million worth of dead stock linked to curriculum materials, following the review of the curriculum based on recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
Beyond KLB, the Education Committee has also scrutinised other institutions, including the State Department for Research and Innovation, the Kenya National Innovation Agency, the National Research Fund and the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation, as part of its broader review of budget implementation across government
By Hillary Muhalya
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