MPs Urge Reinstatement of Prof. Stephen Kiama as University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor.
Two Kenyan Members of Parliament have demanded the immediate reinstatement of Prof. Stephen Kiama as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi (UoN). They claim his recent dismissal violated the law, urging the government to address the situation promptly.
Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia and Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto argue that Prof. Kiama’s dismissal was illegal. They say it breached several key legal frameworks, including the Universities Act, 2012, the Employment Act, and Article 47 (1) of the Constitution of Kenya. This article guarantees fair administrative action, which the lawmakers believe was overlooked. They insist that Prof. Kiama’s employment should have ended on January 5, 2025, based on his initial five-year term that began on January 6, 2020.
Kaguchia and Wandeto question why the university’s council rushed to terminate Prof. Kiama’s contract when he had only four months left in his tenure. “This action blatantly violates the Employment Act and undermines the Constitution of Kenya,” they remarked.
The Universities Act permits a vice-chancellor to serve a full five-year term and seek a second term. The MPs raised concerns that this legal provision was ignored in Prof. Kiama’s case.
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The timing of Prof. Kiama’s dismissal raised further questions. Kaguchia expressed doubts over the integrity issues cited by the University Council to justify this sudden decision. He hinted that Kiama’s resistance to certain questionable decisions within the university may have triggered his removal. Kaguchia and Wandeto speculated that Prof. Kiama’s termination might have been an attempt to push through plans that he opposed.
Moreover, the MPs pointed out that Prof. Kiama had expressed interest in seeking a second term on July 4, 2024. They suspect his removal could be part of a broader effort to control the university’s assets, wondering whether his opposition to these actions led to his sudden dismissal.
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Adding to the controversy, the lawmakers expressed perplexity over the removal of Prof. Kiama from both his vice-chancellor and teaching positions. They pointed out that his teaching role followed a separate contract, raising serious questions about the decision to terminate both positions.
Kaguchia highlighted Prof. Kiama’s long-standing career at the University of Nairobi, noting that no previous allegations of misconduct had emerged. He expressed disbelief that such serious accusations surfaced so close to the end of Kiama’s term and speculated about possible political interference.
“Why was his contract as Vice-Chancellor terminated and then, on top of that, his teaching position as well, which operates under a separate contract?” the MPs asked, expressing their concerns over the legality of these actions.
On September 27, 2024, the University of Nairobi officially dismissed Prof. Kiama, following his earlier suspension. The chairperson of the University Council, Prof. Amukowa Anangwe, confirmed the termination in a letter, though specific reasons were not publicly disclosed.
In light of these developments, the MPs urged Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Iyangala to investigate and clarify the reasons behind Prof. Kiama’s dismissal. They believe this matter warrants government attention, especially given the potential legal violations involved. The lawmakers remain firm in their call for the reinstatement of Prof. Kiama, arguing that his dismissal is not only unfair but also unlawful.
MPs Urge Reinstatement of Prof. Stephen Kiama as University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor.
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