National Council for Law Reporting Strategic Plan 2009-2012

In March 2002, when I joined the employment of the National Council for Law Reporting as a research assistant, the institution, having only established a secretariat less than a year previously, was struggling with not only trying to rationalize its place in the grander scheme of things that is the structure of government but also the daunting challenge of bridging two decades of arrears in official law reporting.

Eight years later, I can say that the present and the future have never looked brighter for official law reporting in Kenya. The Council is now a fully-­‐fledged state corporation, a regional leader in the dissemination of public legal information and the backlog in law reporting has been significantly reduced. Yet, hitherto, the organizational dynamics and resource mobilization that has led to this transformation has proceeded solely under the strategic plans of the Judiciary, the Council’s parent organ.

That this is the Council’s first independent strategic plan speaks of the coming of age of the Council’s understanding of its differentiated role not only as the designated official law reporter for Kenya but also as an internationally recognized institution in the dissemination of public legal information. Even more importantly, the Council, in this strategic plan, boldly stakes its claim to its place in the heritage of humankind and espouses what should be perhaps the ultimate purpose of all human and corporate motivations -­‐ making a contribution to the welfare of humanity. Yet, even from this seemingly abstract philosophical posture, this Strategic Plan proceeds to make very practical application of the scientific process in defining the Council’s role and mandate and in identifying the ethos, strategies and activities that would lead to the fullest realization of that mandate with optimum use of resources.

The implementation of the strategic plan will be greatly complemented by the Organizational Performance Index (OPI), an organizational performance and excellence model administered by the Kenya Institute of Management. By submitting itself to OPI’s rigorous standards for corporate excellence, the Council is holding itself up to the same benchmarks and best practices in management that drive not only the best performing public sector institutions but also Fortune 500 corporations.

I have no doubt that the application of this Strategic Plan and the OPI model is the ideal prescription for steering the Council to even greater heights of excellence.

I wish to thank the Chairman of the Board of the Council, the Hon. Mr. Justice J.E. Gicheru, Chief Justice, and the entire Board for their leadership and support, the staff of the Council for their contributions in the formulation of the strategic plan and our stakeholders whose collaboration and facilitation we will continue to seek in order for us to effectively fulfil our mandate.

AG. CEO