Moi University council sacked as Gov’t moves to quell crisis

The Ministry of Education has appointed Prof. Noah Midamba as the new Chairperson of the Moi University Council amid a management crisis in the institution.

Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba made the change in a gazette notice dated Friday, January 17, 2025, where the members of the existing council were also revoked.

In the new changes which take effect immediately, Prof. Midamba will serve as the chair of the council for three years.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 36 (1) of the Universities Act, as read together with section 51 (1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Education appoints Noah Midamba (Prof.) to be Chairperson of the Council of Moi University, for a period of three (3) years,” read a section of the notice.

Midamba had been KCA University Vice-Chancellor for more than 10 years before he left the institution in 2021.

The new members appointed to the Moi University Council are Prof. Ronald Wasike, Dr. Mercy Nyambura Kanyara, Dr. Edward Sambili and Anne Weceke Makori.

The appointments of Dr. Humphrey Kimani Njuguna, Prof Clara Samiji Momanyi, Christopher Khaemba, Eusilah Jepkosgei Ngeny, and Susan Amlango Aletia have since been revoked.

The change of guard at the institution which has been under management crisis comes a week after the university’s staff downed their tools.

The staff unions attributed the resolution to the university's failure to adhere to the terms agreed upon by the stakeholders in the Return to Work Formula.

This even as the Education CS had vowed to clean up the institution in December over mismanagement, saying that investigations had commenced and those found culpable would be sacked.

“We are prepared to take necessary actions so that our universities are run in a transparent manner so that we have credible institutions offering proper academic qualifications. We are ready to make hard decisions to make sure there is hygiene in this sector,” CS Ogamba said then.