Don with nine lives: The unending drama surrounding UoN Vice Chancellor Prof Kiama

Kiama, an academician who holds an earned doctorate degree in Structural Biology from University of Bern in Switzerland is an accomplished scholar with proven track record in formulating and managing academic programs as he has been involved in various research pursuits and the publication thereof.

HERE COMES KIAMA 

On January 5, 2020, the then Chairperson of the council of University of Nairobi, Prof Julia Ojiambo released a statement thanking all stakeholders and the entire university fraternity and Chancellor for fruitful process that had yielded the right candidate for the position of VC at the University of Nairobi. Ojiambo announced the appointment of Kiama as a replacement for the then-outgoing VC Prof Peter Mbithi subject to ratification of his appointment by the president. But this fell through. 

Soon enough, the then Minister of Education, Prof George Magoha sent packing the entire council of the University of Nairobi, revoked the appointment of Kiama and instead chose Prof Isaac Mbeche as the new VC in an acting capacity.

What followed was a vicious duel in court, which Kiama won when the Labor Court suspended the revocation of his appointment. 

On assumption of office, Kiama was touted as the reformist hand that would bring about substantial changes to the university but Magoha would have none of it. 

He blocked every managerial change that Kiama had effected with the support of the council. Magoha revoked the changes saying they had side stepped him and by extension the President in the appointment Kiama by not consulting him. 

As Kiama was battling the big people in big offices, the students were growing restless with each new day claiming Kiama had increased fees for Master’s degree courses exponentially especially for the self-sponsored students. The heat around his office was pulpable.

The university don was appointed to the position of the office of the vice chancellor for a five-year term period due in January 2025. Prior to his appointment he had acted for short stints in the dockets of Deputy Vice Chancellor Human Resource and Administration, as a Principle, college of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Founding Director, Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies, Chairman department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology among others all within the University of Nairobi on his way up which made him in some way, to leap frog some of his senior academic colleagues in the process.  

THE LEAVE PUZZLE 

Also appointed alongside him, when he became VC with five-year service terms were his academic colleagues Prof Julius Ogeng’o, as well as Prof Margaret Hutchinson have since proceeded on leave, pending finishing their five-year contractual terms.

Kiama’s contract was issued by the Council of the University of Nairobi, according to documents filed in court, which indicate that he is entitled to 45 days’ annual leave and with a disclaimer that he should not accumulate more than 90 days of leave at any point during his term. This contractual demand was buttressed by the circular from the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, vide a circular to all government officials ref. no. OP/CAB.2/1 of September 27, 2023 which stated that there shall be no further commutation of unspent leave days for cash without prior written approval from his office. The circular came into effect on the date of its publication.

On August 1, 2023, public media outlets were treated to a dose of drama when the first term VC, Kiama wrote to the Council of the University of Nairobi requesting to proceed on a six months’ extendable leave ostensibly to exhaust his leave days as per his contract and in light of another circular from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) addressed to all universities (circular ref. no. SRC/TS/25/2(64)). 

It stated that all accumulated leave days shall not be commuted to cash henceforth. To add to the need to proceed on leave, and which came a surprise, was his written wish to serve a single term as the VC without seeking a second term. 

Within his letter to the council of the university, he mentioned his inability to have gone on leave since the year 2020 when he was first appointed owing to heavy workload.

As requested and without any opposition from his employer, the University Council, Kiama proceeded on leave for 23 working days and on September 1, 2023, Kiama, in a strange turn of events, returned to work earlier than scheduled and proceeded to evict his colleague, Prof Julius Ogeng’o who had been appointed to act in his capacity. 

The Council would later write a letter to the VC with a letter dated September 22, 2023, instructing him to continue with leave as previously requested, saying his early return was not anticipated. He however dismissed the sentiments by posting on the platform X saying he was “well rested and rejuvenated” during his one month’s holiday.

Since then the VC has not proceeded on leave or pursued taking any more days of leave as per the contract he signed. It was therefore of little surprise when his employer, the University Council, told him to proceed on leave effective April 19, 2024, over nine months since he last took leave, to utilize his earned leave days. 

Through the office of the Director of Corporate Affairs of the University of Nairobi, the Chairman of the Council of the University of Nairobi, Prof. Amukowa Anangwe, advised the VC to proceed on leave even as wrangles and confusion continue to mar the premier institution of higher learning.  

There was no mention on the type of leave nor of the duration he would be away on leave. The council appointed a senior Professor of the University of Nairobi Prof. Ayub Njoroge Gitau, dean of the faculty of engineering, to act in his place while away on leave.

KIAMA’S ABOUT-TURN 

However, as the beleaguered Prof Kiama was expected to comply and proceed on leave, he turned around in a surprise turn of events and stormed back to office the following Monday. He said his attention has been drawn to “a communication which was circulated to all members of staff and students by Mr. John Orindi on Friday, April 19, 2024… claiming that the Vice Chancellor had proceeded on leave. I call upon all members of staff and students to ignore the communication,” said Prof Kiama. 

He rallied the university community to commit themselves towards becoming a globally competitive institution that contributes significantly to societal transformation. He called on the university to recommit itself to the task ahead of attaining a truly globally competitive status that is transformational to society, all in response to the letter from the university Council 144th meeting resolution.

As confusion and even talk of insubordination is rife at the University of Nairobi; the VC is in office, in direct contravention to the council resolution asking him to proceed on leave and further, he has refused to facilitate the assumption of office by the Prof. Ayub Gitau in an acting capacity. 

The university council is the employer of all who work at the university, including the VC, are subject to its direction and authority. These are interesting times even as the Kenya’s premier institution is besieged by leadership wrangles while the primary stakeholders in the institution are crying out as their living conditions are deplorable and many are in dire need of scholarship opportunities to finish off their studies.