- The National Assembly Education Committee has raised concerns over SEPU’s land ownership, pending bills and staffing gaps.
- The Affordable Housing Programme has sought to acquire SEPU’s entire 12.6-acre Imara Daima land parcel, rather than the 30 per cent as proposed by SEPU’s Board.
- The committee has directed SEPU to develop a mobile laboratories framework while summoning relevant ministries to explain the land allocation process.
The National Assembly Education Committee has raised concerns over the School Equipment Production Unit’s (SEPU) land ownership, financial obligations and staffing levels, questioning the institution’s capacity to support Kenya’s education sector going forward.
Chaired by Hon. Julius Melly, the committee examined SEPU’s budget implementation for the 2025/2026 financial year, uncovering a range of issues touching on the institution’s land, revenue collection, outstanding bills and workforce numbers.
At the centre of the inquiry is SEPU’s 12.6-acre parcel of land in Imara Daima, Nairobi, which has been identified for possible inclusion in the government’s Affordable Housing Programme (AHP). Documents presented before the committee showed that SEPU’s Board had proposed allocating 30 per cent of the property to the housing programme, but legislators were informed that the AHP is instead seeking to acquire the entire parcel.
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SEPU Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joel Mabonga confirmed that the Unit holds the title to the property but said it had not received formal communication from the Affordable Housing Programme regarding the proposed development. He told the committee the matter had been escalated to the parent ministry and that SEPU would submit relevant documentation for the committee’s review.
Chairman Melly directed that both the parent ministry and the Ministry responsible for lands appear before the committee to explain the circumstances surrounding the proposed land allocation, describing the process through which the matter emerged as lacking procedural clarity.
On revenue, the committee heard that SEPU collected KSh13.02 million in Appropriations in Aid (AIA) during the 2025/2026 financial year, against a target of KSh15 million, representing an 87 per cent performance rate. Dr. Mabonga attributed the shortfall to client orders received towards the end of the financial year.
The committee also flagged SEPU’s outstanding obligations, which stand at KSh28.32 million in pending bills.
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On staffing, legislators heard that SEPU currently has 56 employees against an approved establishment of 112 positions, leaving half of its establishment vacant. Dr Mabonga told the committee that SEPU has formally requested additional staffing to address the shortfall.
Separately, Chairman Melly directed SEPU to develop a structured framework for mobile laboratories, an initiative that would involve collaboration between the Unit and Members of Parliament to expand access to science learning facilities in regions where schools lack adequate laboratory infrastructure.
The parliamentary review has brought into focus the security of SEPU’s land, its KSh28.32 million in pending bills, its 87 per cent AIA performance rate and a staffing establishment that is only 50 per cent filled, issues the committee expects the institution and relevant ministries to address in the coming weeks.
By Hillary Muhalya
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