Varsities face crises as they go without VCs, councils
As chancellors and vice-chancellors retire, more than 10 public institutions are confronting a leadership crisis.
TUK, Kibabii, Kabianga, Rongo, Tom Mboya, Karatina, Jaramogi University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Tharaka, Technical University of Mombasa, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Maseno, Taita Taveta, Kaimosi Friends University, and Chuka are the public universities without substantive vice-chancellors.
Cooperative University of Kenya, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, South Eastern Kenya, Garissa, Murang’a University of Technology, Kisii, Multimedia, Masinde Muliro, University of Embu, Alupe University, University of Eldoret, and Meru University of Science and Technology.
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VCs at Maasai Mara University will leave on June 1, while others will leave in December.
Many universities lack chancellors.
University VCs lead academics and administration. They direct, organize, administer, and program universities. Thus, their absence hinders operations.
Since 2018, Pwani University has had no chancellor. In violation of the law, the council chairman presided over four university graduation ceremonies.
Section 38(5) of the Universities Act 2012 specifies that the chairperson of the council can execute the chancellor’s duties for up to three months.
On July 14, University of Eldoret’s chancellor’s second term ends. Meru University of Science and Technology, too.
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Maasai Mara University suffered the biggest leadership crisis in recent history. On June 1, acting VC Joseph Chacha retires, leaving a leadership gap. After Prof Kitche Magak was driven out after two years over his PhD certificate, Prof Chacha was appointed acting university VC on January 21, 2022. Prof Magak replaced Prof Mary Walingo, who was fired in 2019 after Citizen TV accused her in a Sh177 million corruption scam.
The Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) is pressuring the Ministry of Education to select a VC and council due to the leadership situation.
Over the weekend, branch secretary Galfen Omuse said Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu’s delays in establishing a new council were hurting university operations.
“This university has been operating without a university council for several months, which has brought operations to a standstill,” Kusu added. The university has had many acting VCs and DVCs since 2019. Leadership issues have crippled the university.
“The current acting VC is retiring on June 1,” it said. Without a council or substantive VC and DVC, the university risks a catastrophe.
Varsities face crises as they go without VCs, councils
Before Parliament left on holiday last month, Deputy Majority Leader and Kilifi North MP Owen Baya warned of the higher education issue. Mr. Baya asked the Education Committee, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, what actions the government has done to accelerate chancellor and vice-chancellor appointments to avoid court challenges to degrees. He blamed the situation on the previous administration’s failure to appoint chancellors.
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The PSC advertised 15 VC and 18 DVC jobs in public universities. The roles are unfilled. Pwani, Kisii, Karatina, Machakos, South Eastern Kenya, Alupe, Tom Mboya, TUK, Kabianga, and Eldoret universities are seeking qualified individuals for VC seats. Tharaka, JOOUST, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, and Chuka.
Kisii University VC Prof. John Akama, who is retiring, called on the state to honor departing professors in March.
“About 10 vice-chancellors are retiring. They founded constituent colleges. “They built these institutions, they struggled with minimal funding and fire-fighting, and sadly they are now retiring and going quietly into oblivion,” Prof. Akama lamented.
