University of Nairobi under fire over controversial appointment of Acting COO Brian Ouma

The University of Nairobi (UoN) has come under scrutiny for ignoring an advisory from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and proceeding with the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) whose academic qualifications have been questioned.

In July, the University of Nairobi Council appointed Brian Ouma as the institution's Acting COO, responsible for overseeing all administrative non-academic departments and managing the day-to-day operations of the varsity.

However, EACC has declared the position irregular and has called for its revocation, publicly putting the institution's Council on notice and calling for Ouma's appointment to be revoked.

Following an investigation, EACC found that the council appointed an individual with questionable qualifications to a senior management role. Specifically, the commission found that Ouma holds a bachelor’s degree that is not recognized in Kenya.

“The tenure of Brian Ouma as acting chief operations officer at the University of Nairobi is irregular. The Bachelor of Philosophy degree certificate from Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, Italy, which Ouma used to secure employment at the university, is not recognized in Kenya," EACC said in a letter addressed to UoN's Council.

The Commission for University Education (CUE) has also confirmed that Pontifical Urbaniana University is not accredited in Kenya, rendering its degrees unrecognized.

The University of Nairobi, through the Director of Corporate Affairs, John Orindi on Thursday refuted the allegations, describing them as a baseless witch-hunt.

The university clarified that Brian Ouma's degree is from an accredited institution and is fully recognized, and the only concern raised pertains to Brian's KCSE grade.

Orindi added that the Acting COO holds a master's degree from the University of Nairobi and is currently pursuing a PhD at the same institution. He has also completed key management courses essential for senior leadership roles.

EACC had highlighted that Ouma was admitted to Pontifical Urbaniana University for his Bachelor of Philosophy degree despite holding a mean grade of C- in his KCSE, which falls below the qualifications for direct entry into a degree program at a Kenyan university.

The EACC further noted that the creation of the COO role, along with other positions, violated the Universities Act of 2012. It emphasized that the UoN Council should have followed statutory procedures through the Cabinet Secretary to vary and align its management roles accordingly.

In response to EACC, the UoN Council clapped back, requesting that the anti-graft body provide a copy of the complaint that initiated the investigations.

Additionally, the council asked for a report from CUE regarding the allegations under investigation, as well as documentation supporting the finding that individuals with a KCSE grade of C- are ineligible for direct entry into a degree program in Kenya, among other relevant materials.