KNEC Under Pressure to Disclose Ownership of Firm Printing 2026 National Exams.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has formally demanded that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) disclose comprehensive information relating to the procurement, contracting, and printing of examination materials for the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) national examinations.
Introduction
In a letter dated August 20, 2026, and received at KNEC’s Nairobi registry on August 21, 2026, Senator Omtatah invoked Article 35 of the Constitution of Kenya and the Access to Information Act, 2016, to compel the examinations body to release records concerning the awarding of the printing contract for this year’s national examinations.
The Senator confirmed the correspondence in a public statement issued on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, stating that he had formally written to KNEC seeking information on the procurement and printing of the 2026 KCSE, KJSEA, and KPSEA examination materials.
Omtatah stated that the request was prompted by recent public concern surrounding the procurement process for this year’s examination materials, and by the appearance of the Principal Secretary for Basic Education and the KNEC Chief Executive Officer before a National Assembly committee, during which certain procurement details were reportedly withheld on the grounds of national security.
Explanation of the Request
Omtatah stated in the letter that the invocation of national security cannot operate as a blanket exemption from the constitutional right of access to information. He requested that, should KNEC deny access to any part of the information sought, the Council provide the reasons for such denial together with the applicable review or appeal mechanism, in accordance with Section 9 of the Access to Information Act, 2016.
The Senator further requested that KNEC identify any specific legal basis relied upon to withhold information and release all non-exempt portions of the requested records within the statutory response period, giving the Council 21 days to respond.
Omtatah clarified that the request does not extend to examination content, security features, printing specifications capable of facilitating forgery, secure storage locations, or operational security arrangements. He stated that he was not seeking any information that could compromise the security or integrity of the national examinations.
Regulatory and Procurement Details Sought
The request comes amid public scrutiny of Inform Lykos (SA) Hellas Ltd, also referred to in official correspondence as Inform Lykos (Hellas) SA, a Greek security printing company previously associated with the printing of Kenya’s national examination materials and, separately, ballot papers used in the 2022 General Election.
Omtatah referred to this scrutiny in his letter but clarified that he was not alleging that the firm had been awarded, or would be awarded, the 2026 examination printing contract.
The scrutiny of Inform Lykos (Hellas) SA follows reports, first made public in April 2026, that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) was investigating the firm over an alleged tax shortfall linked to a KNEC examination materials contract valued at approximately Ksh2.8 billion, equivalent to €18.7 million.
According to the Kenya Revenue Authority, the contract was structured on Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) terms, under which the supplier was responsible for settling all applicable taxes upon importation.
The Kenya Revenue Authority alleged that Inform Lykos (Hellas) SA declared an import value of €4.2 million, equivalent to approximately Ksh636 million, resulting in a declared tax liability of approximately Ksh132 million against an assessed liability of approximately Ksh781 million, a shortfall reported at approximately Ksh650 million.
The Kenya Revenue Authority stated that its inquiry covered allegations of tax evasion through under-declaration of customs values on imports made by KNEC for various examinations and other materials, covering the period from January 2020 to the date of the inquiry.
The Kenya Revenue Authority further indicated that it had interviewed senior KNEC officials as well as representatives of Ansta Logistics Ltd, the clearing and forwarding agent that handled the examination papers upon arrival in Kenya, as part of its investigation.
In his letter, Omtatah asked KNEC to disclose whether the successful bidder for the 2026 examination printing contract is a Kenyan company, a foreign company, or a Kenyan company operating in partnership with a foreign firm.
He further asked KNEC to state whether it verified the technical, financial, and operational capacity of the successful bidder prior to awarding the contract, and whether the Council confirmed the bidder’s tax compliance status with the Kenya Revenue Authority before the contract was signed.
Full List of Information Requested from KNEC
Senator Omtatah’s letter to KNEC sets out the following categories of information requested in full:
- The procurement method used to award the 2026 examination printing contract.
- The number of firms that participated in the procurement process.
- The criteria applied by KNEC to evaluate the bids submitted.
- The identity of the successful bidder awarded the contract.
- Whether the successful bidder is a Kenyan company, a foreign company, or a Kenyan company in partnership with a foreign firm.
- Whether KNEC verified the technical, financial, and operational capacity of the successful bidder prior to contract award.
- Whether any part of the contract was subcontracted and, if so, the identity of the subcontracting firms and the specific roles assigned to them.
- The value of the contract covering the printing, packaging, handling, and distribution of the examination materials.
- The amount budgeted by KNEC for the procurement, including the relevant budget allocation.
- The amount already paid or committed by KNEC under the contract to date.
- The date on which the contract was signed and its duration.
- The specific services covered under the contract.
- Whether the successful bidder was required to demonstrate compliance with its tax obligations as part of the procurement process.
- Whether KNEC confirmed the tax compliance status of the successful bidder with the Kenya Revenue Authority prior to signing the contract.
- In the event that access to any part of the requested information is denied, the specific reasons for the denial and the applicable review or appeal mechanism available under the Access to Information Act, 2016.
Conclusion
As of the date of this report, KNEC has not issued a public response to Senator Omtatah’s letter or to the information demands contained therein. The Council’s Chief Executive Officer and the Principal Secretary for Basic Education previously appeared before a National Assembly committee, where certain details relating to the 2026 examination printing procurement were reportedly withheld on national security grounds. Senator Omtatah’s letter requests that KNEC respond within the statutory period prescribed under Section 9 of the Access to Information Act, 2016.
KNEC Under Pressure to Disclose Ownership of Firm Printing 2026 National Exams.
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