How Egerton VC Prof Isaac Ongubo plans to fix leadership challenges

The vice-chancellor of the troubled Egerton University, Prof Isaac Ongubo Kibwage, faces a tough leadership and financial crisis barely three months after his appointment.

Prof Kibwage was appointed VC on October 5, 2021 and has been having a rough time running the university, which was closed down in November after the teaching and non-teaching staff went on strike due to non-payment of salaries as per the 2017-2021 collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The institution is also reeling from a massive Sh6 billion debt. Prof Kibwage speaks on his leadership style and the legacy he wishes to leave behind.

The staff unions have accused you of dictatorial tendencies and highhandedness in your leadership style. Are you a dictator?

I'm not a dictator. I speak the truth, and I will stick to it. It is not an issue of highhandedness or dictatorship. They demand that I pay them money, but I don't have money. I have addressed staff and stated our financial situation transparently. I have allowed them access to our books of accounts. That is not highhandedness or dictatorship. I don't want to agree to their demands if the university fails to meet them.

 What is your style of leadership?

Honesty, consultative. I don't beat around the bush to make you happy. We either agree or agree to disagree. If I disagree with you, that is not "dictatorial tendencies". It is not part of my nature to be authoritarian. I believe in facts because they don't lie.

People are scared of me because I tell them the truth, which will set them free.

The unions accuse you of biased and targeted promotion of staff, saying you only promote your tribesmen. Is that true?

That is not true. These are the most baseless claims from the unions. I came and found all the staff in place. A panel of 10 people vets those seeking promotion. Promotions are purely on merit. They are not targeted, and anybody who merits is given a fair hearing. Only two staff appeared before the promotion panel and were not promoted. The unions are just whipping up emotions.

 Egerton's wage bill is about Sh200 million per month. This is not sustainable in the long run. What are your plans to reduce it?

The university wants the teaching staff to take an additional unit instead of contracting lecturers as one way of reducing the Sh200 million wage bill. Unfortunately, Uasu has taken this matter to court, and I hope they will withdraw so that we can resolve the sticky issue.

You're known to have exceptional resource mobilisation skills, but Egerton University is sinking into a financial crisis by the day under your watch. Why?

I'm looking for someone to help our research docket to write proposals and increase the research funding. Using that model, the professors can focus more on teaching and supervising research. That is my strategy.

Egerton University has massive land that is underutilised in Njoro and Mpeketoni in Lamu. Why can't the university generate more revenue and address the financial crisis?

We plan to start planting commercial trees and fruit trees on our land in Lamu. Our challenge is that we lack money to launch these projects. We want to do a snake park, improve apiary and earn more from honey processing. We have plans for Ngongongeri, and we want to turn it into an agri-business hub. If I will be here in the next two years, I would love to be asked the same question and share my success with you.

 You beat six candidates to become the sixth VC of Egerton University. Were you surprised by the results?

No. I attended the interview like my colleagues and am not privy to anything that went on the selection panel minds, and I emerged the best.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave at Egerton University once your contract comes to an end?

By the time I leave, any time people mention agriculture institutions in Kenya they should mention Egerton University. Egerton University's legacy and heritage is there, and we need to consolidate it by bringing back discipline to the university and making our programmes the best.

What is your immediate task as the sixth VC?

My immediate task is meeting staff and delivery of service. This is very challenging as we are financially constrained. My other immediate task is the delivery of academic programmes by ensuring the stationery and teaching aid materials are readily available.

The crucial financial docket is under the VC's office. Is that the right way of doing things in an institution like Egerton?

I don't believe it's the right way of doing things. I feel the finance docket should not be under the VC's office. The VC needs to have time to think of strategies and carry out advocacy and negotiations. If you're tied up with mundane administration as a VC, it takes a lot of time because finance is a quite intensive activity in a university. Having the finance docket in VC's office does not improve efficiency in financial management. It is better when we have a DVC who handles the finance docket in consultation with the VC.

Apart from the biting financial crisis, what else ails Egerton University?

It is a historical issue. In 2017, all students who passed KCSE were absorbed by public universities, and the income from self-sponsored students almost came to zero. That has affected our income drastically. The second one is that capitation from the government also reduced by about 30 per cent. In 2018/2019, the university was not funded for 3,822 students because of miscommunication between the university and the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service in terms of numbers.

 The National Gender and Equality Commission has raised a red flag for fewer women in public universities' managerial positions. What is the situation at Egerton University?

We are compliant. We have four women in managerial positions out of nine slots. Some are acting. Others are in substantive positions.