Solomon Shibairo is the current Vice Chancellor (VC) of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), appointed in September 2021.
He is also the former the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academics and Students Affairs at Kibabii University.
Solomon Shibairo holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a Master of Science in Agronomy from the University of Nairobi (UoN).
In 1996, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Plant Science from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
He is also a member of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences (MKNAS)
Solomon Shibairo Career Background
From 2015 to 2016, Solomon Shibairo served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, and from 2013 to 2015, as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Research and Extension at Kibabii University.
He has also served as the Deputy Principal of Academic Research and Extension at Kibabii University College and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at UoN, where he managed the faculty’s academic, administrative, outreach, and income-generating activities.
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Solomon Shibairo served as the section head of Crop Science and Horticulture in the thematic head.
In Crop Science and Horticulture, he coordinated the activities of the sections, including Curriculum Development, Strategic Plan Development, and Income-Generating Activities, and drew up teaching allocations, budgets, procurement schedules, and leave authorizations. Prof. Shibairo has taught courses in agronomy, horticulture, post-harvest science, and seed science and technology at the undergraduate and master’s levels.
He has also worked as an external examiner at Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and Maseno University, and has supervised 37 students at the master’s and PhD levels.
Solomon Shibairo was appointed Acting Vice Chancellor of MMUST in March 2020 for six months and was later confirmed as the substantive Vice Chancellor in September 2021, becoming the third VC of MMUST.
Achievements
Since occupying the office, Solomon Shibairo has realigned academic programs to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), including ongoing training for academic staff to prepare for the transition.
He upgraded the university’s infrastructure, research, and other initiatives to strengthen its position as a leader in science and technology.
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Shibairo contributed to climate change education, including establishing a dedicated school for climate-related matters and producing PhDs in this sector, making MMUST one of the leading universities in Kenya for this area.
As a VC, Solomon Shibairo planned and initiated major infrastructure projects, including a Ksh 800 million Engineering and TVET complex, with an initial government grant of Ksh 100 million.
He has led MMUST to actively participate in national events, including the Devolution Conference 2025, to foster networking and advance Kenya’s devolution agenda.
As a plant scientist, he published on crop production, horticulture, post-harvest science, and climate adaptation, for example, the Complex Accessions from Western Kenya and the Influence of P Fertiliser on Nodulation, Growth and Nutrient Content of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) in Acidic Soils of Southwestern Kenya.
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