The Kenya Literature Bureau is facing a new turmoil after Education PS, Dr. Belio Kipsang, overran the board’s decision to appoint Kenneth Jumba as the acting managing director a few hours after the board led by Dr. Rispa Wepukhulu had replaced the incumbent Victor Lomaria.
The board’s move was reversed by Dr. Kipsang, who ordered Lomaria to resume office forthwith until August 31, when his term ends. Mr. Kipsang explained the rationale for following a proper consultation process and ordered curriculum vitae of all managers with a view to picking the acting managing director before the elapse of Lomaria’s term.
However, the board insists that Lomaria was placed under terminal leave. The decision follows a series of court battles, with employee petitions seeking Lomaria’s ouster and another challenging a new organizational structure.
Sources indicate that at the centre of the wars are fat financial interests, especially a juicy tender that KLB won for the printing of textbooks for public primary and junior secondary schools, which are due to admit Grade 9 students for the first time in January 2025.
Lomaria also argues that former CS Education Amina Mohammed extended his tenure in September 2019, where he was handed a five-year term that expires in August 2024. According to Catherine Wanjiru Njuguna, however, the CEO’s term is three years and renewable once. She further challenged a new organizational structure, arguing it was rolled out without necessary approvals at a time a similar case was pending in court.
He says Lomaria defends the structure, stating it was approved by the Public Service Commission in March and implemented accordingly. He had urged that KLB sought review at PSC, adding that the Commission endorsed the new structure in May 2024.
Wanjiru, in her petition, is asking the court to declare Lomaria’s continued tenure illegal and quash the new structure that was effected to the board, arguing the appointments were unconstitutional as they never had the approval of the PSC. The case is set for hearing on July 27 before the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
A case in which 35 unionized KLB workers are suing over discrimination and unfair treatment with regard to non-unionized employees claims a salary increase of Ksh 16.9 million over 21 months, seeking fair treatment on employment contracts, audience participation, and pension schemes. The hearing for this case is October 29.
The workers claim that the agency workers were not considered in the award of permanent contracts for Lomaria’s sweetheart employees, done devoid of open, competitive and merit-based selection. The workers fault Lomaria for stopping increments on the annual salary raise and bonus.
“The new appointments amount to a disingenuous attempt to hoodwink the staff members and the court into approving irregular and unprocedural promotions of a few favored individuals without requisite qualifications and track record of performance contrary to the Fair Administrative Action Act and criteria on appointments in public sector,” the petition stated.
Developments unfolding at KLB show intricate interplay between governance, legal challenges, and major financial stakes hitting at the very core of the institution.