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Authors and publishers may soon be required to submit copies of their works to Parliament if a proposed new law is approved by MPs.
The Books and Newspapers (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes making it compulsory for all published materials to be deposited in the Parliamentary Library whenever requested by the Registrar or the Clerk of the Senate.
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The proposal also covers newspapers produced within the country.
At present, authors and publishers are only legally required to deposit copies of their works with the Kenya National Library Services and the Kenya National Archives. The new Bill seeks to broaden this requirement by adding Parliament as an official repository for published materials.
According to the Bill, its main aim is to amend the Books and Newspapers Act (Cap 111) to require the deposit of published works in Parliament’s library. It further proposes that publishers submit a digital copy of each book to the Registrar, Kenya National Library Services, Kenya National Archives, and the Clerk of the Senate, in addition to physical copies.
If enacted, the changes would ensure that deposited works serve not only registration purposes but also support reference and archival needs for lawmakers.
The Bill, sponsored by Turkana West MP Daniel Nanok, notes that countries such as South Korea, Indonesia and South Africa have adopted similar systems. Nanok, who chairs the National Assembly Committee on Parliamentary Broadcasting and Library, said many parliamentary libraries globally also function as national libraries.
He explained that the proposal is meant to improve legislators’ access to local research, literature and historical records, ultimately strengthening debate, lawmaking and oversight. He added that a well-resourced Parliamentary Library would promote evidence-based policymaking and help preserve Kenya’s intellectual output within the legislature.
Under the proposal, publishers would be required to submit up to three copies of a book within one year of publication. The Clerk of the Senate would be expected to formally acknowledge receipt, while the cost of delivery would be borne by the publisher or author.
However, the Bill is likely to attract debate from authors and publishers, some of whom have previously expressed concerns about the financial and administrative strain of multiple mandatory deposits.
The legislation is expected to be tabled in the National Assembly when Parliament resumes in February after the long recess, where MPs will assess whether the proposed changes fairly balance public interest, parliamentary needs and the concerns of the publishing sector.
