Prof. Ayub Gitau appointed new UoN Vice Chancellor

In a special sitting of the Council held on May 14, 2026, Prof. Josiah Omollo Aduda was also appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Finance, Planning and Development (FPD).

Prof. Gitau boasts a 35-year academic, professional and leadership experience in higher education, engineering practice, institutional management, strategic planning and public service. 

He has also served at UoN over two decades since joining the University in 2002 as a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering and later served as Senior Lecturer from 2008 to 2014.

He became an Associate Professor from 2015 to February 2023 and attained the rank of full Professor in March 2023.

Over the years, he has held several senior leadership positions in the institution, including Chairman of the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering from 2011 to 2017, Acting Dean of the then School of Engineering in 2017, substantive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering from March 2019 to June 2024 and Acting Principal of the College of Architecture and Engineering on different occasions. 

He has served as Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs since August 2024.

"He has built a reputation as a transformative yet soft-spoken leader whose approach combines humility, professionalism, systems thinking and collaborative engagement," UoN said in a statement.

Prof. Gitau holds a PhD and MSc in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering from Egerton University. 

He is a Fellow and member of several professional bodies including the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

He takes over from Prof. Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, who has served for the last year as Acting Vice-Chancellor and provided stewardship during the transition period. 

On the other hand, Prof. Aduda is a finance expert with over 25 years of experience in higher education, research, institutional governance and strategic leadership.

As a Professor of Finance at the University of Nairobi, he has previously served as Dean of the School of Business, Chairman of the Department of Finance and Accounting and Acting Deputy Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. 

He also holds a PhD in Finance from the University of Dar es Salaam and holds MBA and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of Nairobi. 

Besides education, Prof. Aduda has served in various consultancy, governance and professional leadership capacities, contributing to strategic planning, financial management, policy development and institutional transformation initiatives in both public and private sector organizations. 

"Widely respected for his integrity, mentorship and visionary leadership, he is expected to play a central role in strengthening the University’s financial sustainability, resource mobilization and long-term strategic development agenda," UoN added.

Prof. Gitau has reaffirmed his commitment to collaborative leadership and institutional transformation and align academic programmes with emerging national and global priorities.

“The University of Nairobi has a proud legacy of scholarship, innovation and service to society. As we navigate a rapidly changing global environment, our focus will remain on strengthening academic excellence, advancing research and innovation, nurturing talent, expanding partnerships and positioning the University as a globally competitive institution that responds effectively to national, regional and global development priorities,” he said.