The County Government of Kiambu has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Nation Media Foundation and the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) to construct a state-of-the-art public library in the county.
The project is a key component of the foundation’s broader initiative to establish public libraries in 14 counties lacking educational resources, aimed at enhancing education and literacy across the nation.
The Nation Media Library Kiambu will be constructed in Ngewa Ward, Githunguri Sub-County. The project is expected to take 24 weeks to complete, utilizing modern construction technology that allows for a quicker building time compared to traditional materials. This library will serve as a prototype for the other 14 libraries planned for the region.
Kiambu, while not lacking public libraries, was chosen as a pilot project due to its close proximity to Nairobi and its large population of learners. The library aims to accommodate a minimum of 500 users each day.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi announced that the county government had allocated land to support the project.
“The library will serve the entire county, and our young people are very excited about it. Kiambu has numerous schools, colleges, and universities, leading to a high demand for library services. It will undoubtedly be a very busy place,” he stated during the MOU signing ceremony in his office on Friday.
Richard Tobiko, the interim CEO of Nation Media Group, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of NMF, while Dr. Charles Nzivo, the CEO of KNLS, represented his organization. The event was also attended by Charles Kangethe, a member of the county assembly from Ngewa.
The Foundation has collaborated with various partners to support its public libraries initiative. Through this partnership, the foundation will not only build the libraries but also implement literacy programs aimed at fostering a reading culture among students in nearby schools and communities, with the aim to impact five million learners across Kenya within the next five years.
In addition to providing the land, the Kiambu county government will supply the staff for the library, while the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) will implement the book management system and furnish the library with books.
“We are happy that the county government has agreed to collaborate with us. This will become a centre of excellence. While there have been many digital advancements in the education sector, physical libraries remain essential. However, we will also include an e-resource centre within the library. Additionally, we plan to partner with a global tech company to provide software for the e-resource centre,” Added Mr. Tobiko
The Kiambu project will also leverage the Kenya National Library Services’ virtual library to enhance access to reading materials.
“We will focus on integration, and the project will receive utmost support from KNLS due to our expertise, ensuring it has a positive impact on the community,” stated Dr. Nzivo.
NMF intends to establish public libraries in an additional 14 counties, which include Lamu, Tana River, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Kirinyaga, Vihiga, Turkana, Homabay, Busia, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Samburu, and West Pokot.
By Hellen Lunalo
