Turkana leaders now demand local heads varsity – Weekly Citizen

A section of Turkana county leaders are now demanding the reinstatement of suspended Turkana University College principal Thomas Akuja. Led by Senator Malachy Ekal and county Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary Peter Long’oli, the leaders held a meeting with county commissioner Muthama Wambua over the issue before addressing a press conference. Ekal insisted that the three -month period that the principal was suspended had elapsed and demanded for his immediate reinstatement.

Malachy Ekal

“There is no reason why the Prof Thomas Akuja should not be reinstated, the allegations made about him over financial misappropriation are not true, he was not the one responsible he is being asked to carry other people’s problems,” said Ekal. He maintained that the institution should be led by a local like other varsities in the country. He dismissed the notion that the Turkana community does not have qualified professionals to head the university. “We have qualified professors like me, Prof Akuja and Prof Lokuruka who can lead the university therefore the excuse that we lack qualified professionals is not valid,” he said.

Prof Thomas Akuja

Wambua told reporters after the meeting that the matter was beyond his office and would be addressed by the new university council that would be gazzeted this week. “The matter is complicated because Prof Akuja has moved to court and he has recorded statement with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers over corruption allegations levelled against him,” said Wambua. He urged residents not to be incited and wait for the law to take its course. On his side, Long’oli said teachers are behind Prof Akuja, saying they want a local to head the institution. The position is held by Prof Frederick Kassily.