The Ministry of Education has disowned recent leadership appointments made by the University of Nairobi (UoN) Council, citing serious violations of legal procedures and governance protocols.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, declared the appointment of Prof. Francis Jackim Mulaa as substantive Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and acting Vice-Chancellor as unlawful, stating the Ministry was never consulted.
“The Ministry will work with all agencies and stakeholders to ensure that our institutions of higher education are managed in accordance with the edict of the law and in a manner that is consistent with principles of corporate governance,” said Dr. Inyangala.
The PS further affirmed that Prof. Margaret Jesang Hutchinson remains the acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, while Prof. Ayub Gitau continues as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs). Prof. Mulaa will retain his previous position as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Enterprise), alongside Prof. John Demesi Mande (Human Resource and Administration) and Prof. Jackson Maalu (Finance, Planning and Development).
According to Dr. Inyangala, no formal University Council meeting was convened to deliberate or approve the recent changes. She emphasized that such appointments must follow a competitive process led by the Public Service Commission and require the concurrence of the Cabinet Secretary for Education, as stipulated in Section 35(1)(a)(v) of the Universities Act, 2012.
“These egregious violations of the law shall not be condoned and will form the basis for appropriate action in due course,” she warned.
The Ministry’s rebuttal comes in the wake of Prof. Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium, publicly rejecting his appointment as UoN Vice-Chancellor. In a statement released Thursday, Prof. Ndemo cited procedural irregularities and confirmed his withdrawal from the role, which the University Council had claimed he would assume after concluding his diplomatic posting.
Prof. Ndemo said he sought verification from Council Chairman Prof. Amukowa Anangwe on whether due process, including Cabinet Secretary concurrence, had been followed. While assurances were given, the Ministry’s latest statement contradicts those claims.
The unfolding saga highlights ongoing governance challenges within Kenya’s public universities, as the Ministry pushes to reinforce legal adherence and institutional accountability.
