ABOUT GOVERNMENT PRESS

The Government Press is a Department under the Executive Office of the President as per the Executive Order No. 1 of 2023. It is Kenya's major centralized facility for creating, verifying, distributing, and archiving official Government information. Government Press has been in operation for more than a century, having been established in 1895 by the colonial administration to produce necessary documents for the smooth running of the colonial government. It was later developed into a fully-fledged printing unit to produce materials for the Kenya-Uganda Railway and also for the East African and Uganda  protectorate.

The development of the Department has been critical in the diffusion of information, literature, and education throughout the Country. From the colonial era to date, Government Press has played an important role in providing printing and publishing services  to the Government, the general public, and numerous institutions around the Country. 

The first “Official Gazette” of the East African and Uganda protectorate was published in 1899. In 1902, The Public Works Department established the first printing press in Mombasa, which was used to print forms, maps, and other administrative documents for the Colonial Government.

Today, the Government Press Department is located in the industrial area of the city of Nairobi and is charged with the responsibility of printing and publishing official Government documents as and when required at affordable costs. It also prints all documents required for revenue collection in the Government, which places it at the nucleus of the entire Government operation system. It also does minimal commercial printing. It may be noted that the Department being in the manufacturing and service industry must keep pace with technological change that is rapidly taking place in the printing industry globally.

Government Press has had a significant impact on the economy of Kenya. It has provided  employment opportunities to thousands of Kenyans over the years, including skilled and  unskilled workers. Additionally, it has contributed to the growth of the printing and publishing  industry in the Country by providing training and mentorship to young people who are  interested in pursuing a career in printing. 

As the Country continues to develop, the Department remains an essential institution that will  continue to provide quality, secure, accessible printing and publishing services in a timely and  cost-effective manner to the Government and the general public for many years to come.