Queries as it emerges that Egerton University's charter was not gazetted

The legal tussle between Egerton University and a member of its staff over the withdrawal of a masters degree has exposed the institution’s soft underbelly after it emerged that its charter has never been gazetted.

Egerton assistant registrar Kepha Omwenga Orina, who is fighting to keep his masters of business administration degree, has now challenged the legality of decisions made by the university senate which he says has been operating without a gazetted charter.

Through his lawyer Wilfred Konosi, the officer has petitioned the High Court in Nakuru seeking orders to have the university’s charter voided and its existence and operations declared illegal as it was being run without a charter.

According to the petitioner, the Egerton University Act Cap 2014 of the constitution was repealed by the Universities Act 2012 which required the university to obtain a charter within a year. 

Professor Margaret Kamar, who was by then the minister for higher education, awarded the university a new charter on March 1, 2013 but it was never gazetted.

Justice Teresia Matheka on Tuesday issued temporary orders restraining the university from withdrawing the degree.