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Ombudsman probes claims of KLB staff mistreatment
Officials of the Commission on Administrative Justice (Ombudsman). From left: CEO Mercy Wambua, chairperson Charles Dulo, vice chair commissioner in charge of access to information Dorothy Jemator, and commissioner in-charge of complaints and investigation Charles Njagua address journalists at their offices in Nairobi on February 13, 2025.
The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) has ordered the management of the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) to respond to claims of mistreatment of employees and abuse of power by some officials of the institution.
The directive follows multiple complaints from KLB’s staff, which prompted CAJ to issue letters in February demanding an official response from management regarding the allegations that have threatened the stability of the publishing institution.
‘’The Commission has received a complaint from the staff of KLB, alleging numerous instances of maladministration by the management personnel of the bureau, particularly the former managing director, the acting managing director, the acting general manager, director for finance & commercial services and the acting general manager for human resource & administration,” the CAJ said in a February 11,2025 letter to Rispah Wepukhulu who chairs the KLB board of directors.
“The staff have alleged conduct amounting to unfair treatment, abuse of power, oppressive official conduct, and related unlawful official conduct. The detailed particulars of the allegations are outlined in the attached letters dated November 2024 for reference” Florence Mumbi Kiawa-Mwikya, the Director Complaints, Investigations and Legal Services at CAJ further said in the letter to Dr Wepukhulu.
The CAJ has a mandate to tackle maladministration in the public sector. The commission is empowered to, among other things, investigate complaints of delay, abuse of power, unfair treatment, manifest injustice, or discourtesy.
In another letter dated February 27, 2025, CAJ wrote to KLB’s managing director over a complaint from one of the senior employees about the alleged abuse of office by some officers in the Human Resources and Sales departments.
“We believe this matter can be addressed appropriately through internal channels and hence bring it to your attention. Kindly revert to the Commission soonest or in any event, within 28 days on the outcome and action thereof, to enable us to mark it accordingly on our end,” the letter stated.
KLB is a publisher of curriculum and non-textbook reading materials such as children's story books, autobiographies, dictionaries, revision books, vernacular books and e-books. A disclosure on the KLB website shows that it has more than 300 employees countrywide.
