The University of Nairobi (UoN) Council has suspended its Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Stephen Kiama for a period of three months.
The University Council alleges that Kiama has failed to meet requirements to be appointed for a second term.
Consequently, the Council appointed Professor Margaret Hutchinson as acting VC.
Earlier in the day, UoN students staged demonstrations demanding ouster of VC Kiama whom they accused of mismanagement and poor service delivery.
Prof. Stephen Kiama’s woes started back on September 2023, when he abruptly cut short his leave and resumed duties earlier than anticipated.
The unexpected saga unfolded after the UoN Council approved Prof. Kiama’s request for a six-month leave, starting from August 1, 2023, to exhaust his leave days as per his contract and in light of another circular from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) addressed to all universities.
Kiama proceeded on a leave for 23 working days but returned to work on September 1, 2023, earlier than expected. Upon his early return, Kiama proceeded to evict Prof. Julius Ogeng’o, who had been serving as the acting Vice Chancellor in his absence.
Later on, April 19, 2024, the council sent Professor Kiama on a compulsory leave while at the same time appointing Prof. Ayub Njoroge Gitau as the acting Vice Chancellor. Kiama, would later disown the communication regarding his purported leave, terming it as unofficial.
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“My attention is drawn to a communication which was circulated to all members of staff and students by Mr. John Orindi on Friday 19th April 2024 at 6:27 PM claiming that the Vice Chancellor had proceeded on leave,” read the Statement by Prof. Kiama.
“This matter has elicited a lot of publicity and has the potential to lead to apprehension to both members of staff and students. I call upon all members of staff and students to ignore the communication.”
On January 5, 2020, Prof. Julia Ojiambo, then Chairperson of the University of Nairobi Council, released a statement expressing gratitude to all stakeholders and the university community for their role in selecting a new Vice Chancellor.
She announced the appointment of Kiama as the new VC, pending presidential ratification. However, this appointment was not finalized.
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Shortly thereafter, the late Prof. George Magoha, the then Minister of Education, dissolved the entire University of Nairobi Council and revoked Kiama’s appointment.
Instead, Prof. Isaac Mbeche was appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor. Labor Court would later suspend the revocation of Kiama’s appointment.
The university don was appointed to the position of the office of the vice chancellor for a five-year term period due in January 2025.
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