University of Nairobi (UoN) Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama has been at the centre of a leadership standoff at the country’s premier institution of higher learning. He hit the limelight for defying leave orders.
On May 22, the University’s Council maintained that the decision to grant the besieged VC leave was still in force.
“The council wishes to inform the university community and all the concerned persons that the decision made on the 19th of April 2024, granting Professor Stephen Kiama Gitahi leave with immediate effect, remains in force,” said Prof. Amukowa Anangwe, the Council Chair.
A day later, Prof. Kiama dismissed the letter from the Council as personal opinions.
“Some of those communications that you have seen are not necessarily the resolution of the council, they are expressions of opinions. When the council makes resolutions, they are communicated by the secretary to the council and that is the office of the Vice Chancellor,” the don said. But who is this good professor that is steering the giant University of Nairobi?
Prof. Stephen Kiama Background
Prof. Kiama started his academic journey in 1972 at Gatugi Primary Secondary School, Othaya.
He did his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) in 1978 and joined Kenyatta High School, Mahiga where he sat for the Kenya Certificate of Education (KCE) in 1982.
Furthering his studies, he was admitted to Nakuru High School for his Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (A-Levels).
His academic quest led him to the University of Nairobi for a degree in Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1990, before enrolling for a master’s in veterinary Anatomy.
Also Read: UoN VC Standoff: New Twist as Council Clarifies Prof Kiama’s Leave
In addition, he earned Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) in Structural Biology from the University of Bern, Switzerland, in 2001.
Career
He landed his first job as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Anatomy in 1990 at the University of Nairobi. He later rose through the ranks to positions of Lecturer (1995), Senior Lecturer (2002), Associate Professor (2012) and Full Professor (2016).
Prof. Kiama has also served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Human Resource and Administration, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor In-charge of Finance, Planning and Development.
From 2016 to 2019, Kiama was the Principal, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences.
In 2010 to 2016, Kiama was appointed as the director of Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies, since he had the vision of the institution, as some years back, he had ample time with the late Prof. Wangari Maathai discussing vision of the institute.
From 2005-2010 he served as the Chairman of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology.
Has also served as the Acting dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine from 2003-2010.
In 2019, Kiama was also elected as the Chairman of Deans and Principals of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM).
Other positions Kiama held includes:
Secretary at Chiromo Club community from 2009 to 2011.
Vice Chairman at Chiromo Club community from 2013 to 2015.
Prof. Stephen Kiama was on Friday, June 5, 2020, installed as the 8th Vice Chancellor, University of Nairobi.
Accolades
To date, Kiama has co-authored over 150 scholarly journals and conference publications.
Also Read: Confusion as UoN Vice Chancellor Refuses to Go on Compulsory Leave
Adding to his portfolio, his published journals and publications revolved around Nature, Nature Communications, Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Immunology and Cell Biology, American Journal of Pathology, American Journal of Respiratory, Cell and Molecular Biology and Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
In his subsequent role as a lecturer, he has taught for over 30 years in various institutions such as University of Nairobi, St. Andrews University (Scotland), Free University of Berlin (Germany), University of Bern (Switzerland), University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) and University of Ghana (Ghana).
Due to his efforts, Kiama successfully secured research funding such as the Deans Committee Research Funds of University of Nairobi, the German Academic Exchange Program (DAAD), the British Council, Swiss National Science Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Foundation of New York, the list continues.
In addition, he scooped competitive funding award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York through SIG-RISE. Whereby some of the funds he set aside to provide scholarships to postgraduate students.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates.
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
