Professor Julius Nyabundi is the current Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Maseno University and the Chairman of the Kenya National Examinations Council.
Before his appointment, he served as the Principal of Murang’a University of Technology from 2014 to 2016 and the Managing Director of Chemelil Sugar Company from 2003 to 2008.
Nyabundi has also served as Vice-Chairperson of the African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD), Member of the Executive Committee of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), Kenya Sugar Board, and FKE Executive Board, Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), and Chairman of the FKE Western Branch.
As a full professor of Horticulture since 1998, Nyabundi founded the Department of Horticulture at Maseno University.
Julius Nyabundi’s Educational Background
He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a Master’s in Agronomy from the University of Nairobi.
Nyabundi also has a PhD in Agricultural Ecology from the University of California, Davis, USA.
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Career Background
In 1998, Nyabundi achieved the rank of full professor of Horticulture.
From 2014 to 2016, Nyabundi served as the Principal of Murang’a University of Technology.
He is a recipient of the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW). His board memberships include serving on the Executive Committee of the Inter-University Council of East Africa from 2018 to 2020.
In 2019, he was elected as a Vice Chairperson of the Africa Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD) Technical Committee.
Nyabundi served as the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Maseno University from 2012 to 2014, and in 2016, he was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor.
As a professor at Maseno University, he was the Founder Dean of the School of Agriculture, Director of the Botanic Garden and Student Welfare Services, Dean of the Faculty of Science, and Founder Chairman of the Department of Horticulture.
Before joining Maseno University, Julius Nyabundi served as a lecturer and senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi.
In 2022, former President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Nyabundi as the Chairman of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
Achievements
Since taking office in March 2016, Professor Julius Nyabundi has overseen significant growth and modernisation at Maseno University.
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Under his leadership, the university constructed a tuition block capable of accommodating more than 3,000 students at a time and established a Regional ICT Hub in partnership with the M-PESA Foundation, promoting technological innovation and digital literacy for both students and the surrounding community.
Nyabundi also spearheaded the establishment of Maseno Radio and Television studios at the institution.
As Vice-Chancellor, he oversaw the introduction of a School of Law and the integration of Information Technology (IT) as a compulsory component across all undergraduate programmes.
He has positioned Maseno University’s School of Medicine consistently among the top institutions in Kenya, securing 7th place nationally in the January 2026 rankings.
In July 2022, Professor Julius Nyabundi was appointed Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
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