The Public Service Commission (PSC) has defended its involvement in the stalled recruitment of the University of Nairobi (UoN) Vice Chancellor, insisting that the process was conducted transparently and in full compliance with the law.
In a statement, PSC Vice-Chairperson Mary Kimonye stated that the Commission had duly shortlisted, interviewed, and ranked candidates before forwarding the list to the University Council for final appointment.
“The Commission wishes to confirm that the interviews for the University of Nairobi are among the most recent conducted, as part of efforts to address a backlog of pending recruitment requests from public universities,” she noted.
While terming the current deadlock as regrettable, PSC urged all stakeholders to resolve the impasse swiftly to prevent further disruption at one of Kenya’s top academic institutions.
Kimonye highlighted that UoN is the only one among 13 public universities recently engaged in similar recruitment processes where such disputes have arisen.
“The Commission, therefore, urges the parties involved to resolve the dispute surrounding the appointment of the Vice Chancellor amicably and expeditiously, in accordance with the law, to prevent unnecessary public anxiety and protect the reputation of this premier institution,” she said.
The controversy escalated on May 9 when Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium, Prof. Bitange Ndemo, declined his appointment as UoN Vice Chancellor, citing concerns over the integrity of the selection process.
Previously, the University Council had named Prof. Ndemo as the incoming substantive VC, to take over from Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Margaret Jesang Hutchinson upon the conclusion of his diplomatic assignment.
In a letter dated May 5, the Council also appointed Prof. Francis Jackim Mulaa as Acting Vice Chancellor for a six-month transitional period to ensure continuity at the institution.
