UoN council rejects PSC nominees for VC appointment – Weekly Citizen

The University of Nairobi (UoN) council led by Prof Julia Ojiambo is pushing for the appointment of deputy Vice Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama as the new VC.

Suprisingly Kiama did not emerge among the top three candidates interviewed by the Public Service Commission on December 18 last year.

According to sources the Prof Ojiambo led council has met twice on three names forwarded to it by PSC chaired by Stephen Kirogo.

In one such meetings the council decided to rank the candidates disregarding PSC list.The council was bitter, acting VC Isaac Mbeche had been knocked out and name was not among the top three.

Prof Ojiambo

To show the council favoured Prof Mbeche who is 69 years old, it extended the VC retirement age from 70 years to  75 years just days before the position was advertised .

Mbeche name is completely missing among the three candidates names that have been forwarded to the ministry of education for appointment by president Uhuru Kenyatta , our sources revealed.

With his acting term of 6 months having expired , the council has decide to replace Mbeche with Prof Kiama in acting capacity for another six months.

During the said period , a case will be sponsored in court to challenge PSC forwarded list to Prof George Magoha  eduducation Cabinet Secretary.

Reports we have have indicate, council menbers last week tried to reach Magoha but were not able. They also visited PSC offices for unknown reasons

Mbeche

It is not known why the council is being involved in the process of appointing the VC bearing in mind University Amendment Act 2018 is against.

Many are also seeing the influence of former VC Prof Mbithi in teh council move.Apart from Prof Mbeche and Prof Kiama,  others interviewed by PSC were Prof Bernard Njoroge, Prof Madara Ogot, Prof Patricia Mbote ,  Prof Elijah Omwenga and Prof Solomon Shibairo.

For now the council is at war with the education ministry as Magoha is said to have the original PSC ranking list the PSC has refused to follow. Its not known why the council is fearing a new face to take charge as the VC.

Prof. Magoha

The council members are Prof Odhiambo as Chair ,Flora Mtuweta, Mghulo Mghanga, Dr. Jocelyn Maria Rariega, Hassan Abdi Mohamed, Isaac Kiprop, Samuel Kiru and Dr Kevit Desai representing the ministry.

Prof Ojiambo is accused by a section of members of being arrogant and like a politician openly boasting of being protected by deputy president William Ruto.

Ruto was a junior to Prof Ojiambo when a director youth and women affairs at KANU headquarters during the Moi regime.

Infact the council is deeply divided on the VC appointment headache to an extend that those opposed to Prof Ojiambo style of leadership want to petition the ministry to dissolve the council.

Ojiambo is also accused of holding council meetings frequently to earn allowances. Former solicitor general Michuki Muchemi resigned as a member of the council upon discovering  Prof Ojiambo who is almost senile did not have the institution at heart but her personal ego.