A fresh leadership dispute is emerging at the University of Nairobi after the institution’s academic staff union raised concerns over the ongoing recruitment of the vice chancellor and deputy vice chancellors.
The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) has accused the university administration of failing to transparently handle the process, particularly the alleged omission of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Human Resources) position from public advertisement, a move the union says opens the door to external interference.
Speaking on Thursday, UASU University of Nairobi Chapter Secretary Dr. Maloba Wekesa said the failure to advertise the DVC Human Resources position was not accidental, but a deliberate decision with far-reaching consequences for staff and the future of the institution.
“This is not an inadvertent omission. This is a deliberate omission which, in our opinion, sows a new seed of disorder that UASU fears portends another round of unseen hands intent on controlling staff hiring and, eventually, the destiny of the university,” Dr. Wekesa said.
The union also questioned who is currently running the university amid delays in appointing a substantive vice chancellor following the exit of Prof Stephen Kiama. The VC position has remained vacant, with Prof Margaret Hutchinson serving in an acting capacity.
Dr. Wekesa noted that attempts to fill the position had previously stalled after Prof Bitange Ndemo was named but did not take up the role. He said the sudden launch of another recruitment exercise for the VC and two deputy vice chancellors this week had raised fresh suspicion among staff.
“Only this week, another recruitment process for that position, as well as those of two DVCs, was started. UASU is reading a sinister motive in this move,” he said.
UASU insisted that any recruitment at the university must be anchored on merit and professionalism, warning against ethnic considerations or political influence.
“Because we are a university that believes strongly in merit, any recruitment done should be on the basis of merit, professionalism — not on the basis of ethnicity or political expediency,” Dr. Wekesa added.
The union warned that any violation of university statutes would be met with swift legal action, claiming that individuals with questionable academic credentials were attempting to re-enter and influence the institution.
He also took aim at past leadership practices, saying the era of external interference in the university’s daily operations should be firmly behind it.
“That past where the chancellor meddled in the daily operations of the university, when the council overstepped its mandate and pitched camp at the university, those days are over,” he said.
Dr. Wekesa further raised concerns over officials previously investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged fake academic papers, claiming some were attempting to quietly return.
“EACC must take action. The government must take action,” he said.
Beyond leadership wrangles, UASU also highlighted the human cost of the ongoing disputes, pointing to unresolved payroll issues. Despite the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which set the retirement age for academic staff at 74 years, several senior scholars remain off the payroll more than a year after the agreement was signed.
UASU is now demanding the unconditional reinstatement of affected staff and full payment of all delayed dues, warning that continued delays risk further destabilising the country’s oldest public university.