Prof. Paul Wainaina has been reinstated as Kenyatta University (KU) Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Wainaina made his way back to the KU Main Campus on Thursday, November 3 following the settlement of a dispute that led to his exit.
While speaking during his homecoming party at the university premises, Prof. Paul Wainaina attributed the turn of events to divine intervention.
“God used the new government to allow wrongs to be rectified using our fundamental principles. For me to be alive today is a miracle. I knew the fury that was coming after taking my stand.” the VC stated.
According to Prof. Wainaina, the dispute was about some 410 acres of university land that the government wanted to be excised for the construction of a World Health Organization (WHO) hub.
The University reiterated that there is a procedure in law on what government needs to do if it needs the parcel of land.
“That land is still intact, and the title deed is with us, we had a plan for what we wanted to do with the land. There are procedures if the government wanted to take the public land,” said Prof. Paul Wainaina.
Moreover, the KU Vice Chancellor noted that the way the land was being taken over was characteristic of land grabbing.
“On 4th July bulldozers came at night and invaded our land. The 140 acres were taken by government officials disguised as squatters, we won’t tolerate land grabbers,” he added.
Furthermore, the vice chancellor highlighted that he would see to it that the university gets back the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital which he said was taken away from the institution four years after construction.
“We constructed the Hospital up to the end and the facility was taken away from us four years later; they only inherited our name. We want the Hospital back. Just as I’ve come back, that hospital will be ours,” Wainaina told the audience.
Also Read: Kenyatta University VC Prof. Wainaina Officially Dismissed
Prof. Paul Wainaina was fired on July 12, after a standoff between him and the government over a piece of land. However, the Employment and Labour Relations Court in July 27ordered his reinstatement.
“Pending the hearing and determination of this application inter-parties, this honorable court is pleased to issue a temporary order suspending the implementation of the decision contained in the letter dated July 12 by Professor Crispus Kiamba into suspending, terminating and/or dismissing the petitioner from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, rendering his position vacant and/or revoking his salary,” Justice Jacob Gateri ruled.
