October 2020 KLB is Born Pioneers, Leaders and Workers ONLINE EDITION www.klb.co.ke Inside this issue.... 2 Editorial 3 MD's Note 4 KLB set to unveil new Strategic Plan 5 Gazing Ahead: Our promise to stakeholders 8 KLB is Born: Pioneers, Leaders and Workers 13 KLB Captains EDITORIAL TEAM Managing Editor: Diana Olenja OUR VISION WE WILL Editor: Joseph Ndegwa A knowledgeable and inspired society Design and Layout: Sylvester Karanja • Comply with regulatory and statutory requirements. Photography: Joseph Ndegwa, Bernard MISSION STATEMENT Kibui and Ronald • Continually improve the effectiveness of our To provide innovative and competitive Kibaron publishing and printing solutions. Management Systems. Contributions: Joseph Ndegwa, Diana • Achieve and ensure that our customers Olenja Ronald Kibaron OUR CORE VALUES receive the highest quality service. • Customer Focus and Sharon Nderema • Integrity • As a team, be guided by strict adherence • Creativity and Innovation to laid down procedures and strive to be • Quality Publishing and Printing Solutions competitive and independent; and will protect and uphold our customers’ interest without compromising the quality standards OUR QUALITY POLICY set. Kenya Literature Bureau is committed to and shall always endeavour to reach the highest Our quality objectives shall be established and reviewed at the regular management review meetings. level of quality in publishing and printing Published by: All correspondence to the: KENYA LITERATURE BUREAU Corporate Communications Office, educational and knowledge materials as P.O. Box 30022-00100, Nairobi P. O. Box 30022 - 00100, Nairobi. stipulated by the ISO 9001 : 2015 Quality KLB Road, Off Popo Road, Belle-vue Area, South C Tel: 254 20 3541196/7, 0711 318 188 Tel:+254203541196/7, 0711318188 Management System. Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.klb.co.ke EDITORIAL | | MD’s Note hat a challenging year it has been for Kenya Literature Bureau! We made progress in the past and are now keen to forge ahead, COVID-19 pandemic A new journey begins Wnotwithstanding. In keeping with best practice in corporate governance, KLB has developed the Strategic Plan 2020-2024 to guide its operations for the next five years. It takes over from the previous Plan which was retired on June 30, 2020 and has exciting provisions aimed at ensuring continual growth and sustainability of the company. his has been a difficult year printing solutions.” I ask all in partnership with the National for the firm. The COVID-19 of us to read, internalise the Environment Management In this issue of the Publisher, we present to you a comprehensive account of KLB’s Toutbreak disrupted lives and document and work towards Authority (NEMA), planted history from 1948, when the colonial government established it as East African businesses, and Kenya Literature implementing the noble goals trees in Kaptunga Forest, which Literature Bureau (EALB). The profiles of the previous chief executives and board Bureau was not an exception. outlined in the Plan. is located within the larger chairmen are also presented as a permanent record of the captains of this institution However, adequate plans Mau Water Towers, in Nakuru for posterity. have been laid to mitigate the As the implementation of the County. Similar plans to plant effects of the pandemic on our Strategic Plan 2020-2024 begins; trees in Turkana County during On this, it is hoped that future generations of KLB employees and stakeholders will business operation and output. we wish to recognise previous the World Environment Day find it important to celebrate the founders and stewards of the organisation for their leaders who contributed national celebrations on June stories are truly inspiring. KLB has developed a new immensely to the growth of the 6 were disrupted by the COVID Strategic Plan 2020-2024 to take Bureau from inception. They are 19 pandemic. The Bureau continues to play its part in corporate social value, championing book over from the previous plan the heroes of our institution and donation and environmental conservation campaigns in different parts of the which steered the Bureau for we celebrate them. In the days ahead, we shall country. A story on a recent book donation drive at a school in Kiambu is featured. the last five years. require all of us to work in KLB is committed to institutional concert towards promoting KLB We invite you to read, enjoy and have fun. The new plan takes account growth and making a and its products and services of the dynamic business difference in the lives of others. for greater profitability and Welcome. environment and strategic As a publishing house, we have sustainability. priorities of the Government championed transformative By Joseph Ndegwa of Kenya and mandate of initiatives, such as book We continue to set the pace the Bureau as stipulated in the donation and tree planting. and standards in the publishing Kenya Literature Bureau Act This has enabled us establish and printing industry. KLB, 1980 Cap 209. It has a new and restock libraries especially Publishing and Printing for YOU. vision and mission statement in marginalised areas of the that outlines the purpose and country. Thank you and God bless. values, objectives and strategies we intend to pursue to provide Through our Twachapisha Victor Lomaria,OGW We are continuously striving to enhance the quality of our Newsletter by providing information customer and shareholder Twasoma Corporate Social MANAGING DIRECTOR in a simplified manner for all our readers to enjoy. We welcome you to send your articles that value. Value (CSV) programme, we can be considered for publication in the next edition. We also request that you send us your continue to champion literacy. feedback on [email protected] on what you would like to read as well as comments on how we can improve our Newsletter. It will enable us achieve our new vision – “A knowledgeable and We have also considerably inspired society” and mission supported environmental – “To provide innovative and conservation campaigns in the competitive publishing and country. In February 2020, KLB, KENYA LITERATURE BUREAU | 'Oct 2020 KENYA LITERATURE BUREAU | 'Oct 2020 KLB set to unveil new Strategic Plan Gazing Ahead Our promise to stakeholders By Joseph Ndegwa enya Literature Bureau In launching the plan, KLB and Teaching Materials Views of the Board Operations and Strategy Committee Chair Mrs. Josephine Maangi is set to launch a new also hopes to effectively (LTMs), the diversification of as narrated to Diana Olenja KStrategic Plan for the and efficiently address itself revenue streams to include period 2020-2024 on October to prevailing challenges the provision of printing 28, 2020 at the Boma Hotel, and transform itself into a services and to continually business development consultative, involving Nairobi. It takes over from robust, customer centric and improve on the quality of our the third Strategic Plan 2016- highly performing institution products and services. and quality as well as both internal and 2020, which expired on June as envisaged in the Kenya new developments external stakeholders. The 30, 2020. Literature Bureau Act, 1980 In the Plan is a strategy and technologies in the Steering Committee took Chapter 209. to modernise the printing industry. a participatory approach The Strategic Plan 2020-2024 press and grow revenue for that saw KLB Board, is aligned to the dynamic From inception, the State increased profitability and 2. What drives KLB to excel staff and stakeholders business environment and publisher has contributed sustainability. in its mandate? strategic priorities of the immensely to the discussing the new Government of Kenya as enhancement of literacy in It is premised on five thematic The Bureau has strategic strategic direction of the outlined in the Kenya Vision the country, and in ensuring areas, namely: financial leadership from the Board Bureau. 2030 and the National availability and affordability sustainability; customer and CEO. They have We also looked at the Education Sector Strategic of books and other learning centricity; operational managed to steer this ship business operating Plan 2018-2022 and the Africa materials in educational efficiency and effectiveness; through the past planning Union Agenda 2063, among institutions and the market and organisational capacity environment and period and achieved others. It has a new vision place. development. changes taking place exemplary results. and mission statement that in the education sector, outlines the purpose, values KLB also becomes the first We thrive on product such as the revised and objectives the publisher local publishing house to Mrs Josephine Maangi intends to pursue to provide be ISO 9001:2015 certified differentiation strategy, curriculum and change producing quality in textbook procurement customer and shareholder for its quality management 1. Tell us a bit about the value. systems. The Plan, therefore, content and superior policy for public schools to role of the KLB Board will facilitate the re- product thanks to the formulate our strategies. Operations and Strategy The development of the Plan engineering pool of talented subject Committee? This new plan is heavy on was based on the review of the firm authors and editors. for greater product diversification of KLB’s performance and The Operations and sustainability as As the only publishing and improvement of experiences, resources Strategy Committee is one awareness and focus on the projected in the house with an in-house business processes to new mission, vision of the three committees future. It is a culmination of printing press, we have steer us to the next level. and core values. of the KLB Board. The an extensive consultative been able to achieve Major emphasis is going committee’s mandate process involving the Board of timely delivery of books to be on producing It provides a clear is oversight on the core Management, staff and other road map for the and printing services electronic reading and business of the Bureau stakeholders.