The Impact of Records Centres on the Management of Public Sector Records in Kenya
| Published date | 01 April 1998 |
| Date | 01 April 1998 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007230 |
| Pages | 55-65 |
| Author | Henry N Kemoni |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
The Impact of Records Centres on
the Management of Public Sector
Records in Kenya
HENRY N KEMONI
Abstract
This study examines the role of records centres in relation to the management of
public sector records in Kenya. It highlights the inadequacies of the Public
Archives and Documentation Service Act (Cap 19) of 1965 as a tool to manage
public sector records. The findings of the study are based on questionnaires
which were distributed to provincial archivists in charge of records centres. One
of the major findings of the study is that records centres have played a signifi-
cant role in the management of public sector records. The study also addresses
the various problems experienced by record creators in managing public sector
records and notes that the resources availed to records centres are not commen-
surate with their growing responsibilities in records management.
Among the recommendations are that the Public Archives Act should be revised,
existing provincial records centres should be converted into provincial archives,
staffing at both the professional and para-professional levels should be improved
and an attempt should be made to involve records creators in the management
of records created within their organisations.
Introduction
Records centres can be defined as low cost storage facilities housing
semi-active and non-active records of any organisation. Records have a
life cycle involving the active, semi-active and inactive stages. Ketelaar1
defines a records centre as a building, usually designed and constructed
for the low cost storage, maintenance and communication of current and
semi-current records, pending their disposition. Records centres serve as
low cost storage areas for non-current records before their appraisal and
transfer to the national archives. Records centres in Kenya do not
acquire records without long lasting value. This contrasts with the
Records Management Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, April 1998, pp. 55–65
Records Management Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, April 1998
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