Prof Amukowa Anangwe’s tenure as chair of the University of Nairobi Council has been cut short after 21 months that have been marked by controversy and boardroom wars with the management.
His appointment on May 23, 2023, through a special gazette notice by then Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu alongside Ahmed Sheikh Abdullai, Dr Darmain ole Warkae, Caren Kerubo Omwenga and Dr Sally Ngeringwony Toroitich followed the dissolution of the former council.
The previous team led by Prof Miriam Were was in office for only 10 months. This highlights how shaky governance has been at Kenya’s premier university.
Whereas Prof Were’s entire council was sent packing, this time around, it is only Prof Anangwe’s appointment that was revoked by Education CS Julius Ogamba last Friday.
The entrance to the University of Nairobi. The University of Nairobi Pension Scheme (2007) has failed to remit Sh8.3 billion.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Prof Anangwe, a former Cabinet minister in President Daniel arap Moi’s government and a former lecturer at UoN, was shown the door just five months after the council he chaired sacked Vice Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama after a tumultuous period that was marked by sharp differences of opinion and management style.
The revocation of appointment comes when the process of recruiting the next VC of UoN is underway, meaning that Prof Anangwe will not be involved in the appointment. The Public Service Commission has already advertised the position. After conducting interviews, it will then forward the top three names to the council for appointment.
The differences between Prof Kiama and Prof Anangwe started almost immediately after the council was appointed. After just two months, the council (in unclear circumstances) announced that Prof Kiama had proceeded on a six-month leave but he was away for only one month. When he returned, Prof Anangwe insisted that the VC must complete his leave, but Prof Kiama stayed put.
Prof Stephen Gitahi Kiama.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The council had made several other unsuccessful attempts to eject Prof Kiama but finally succeeded on September 27, 2024.
A letter signed by Prof Anangwe later announced to the university community that Prof Kiama had not only ceased being the VC but his services as a member of staff of the university had also been terminated.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has been vocal about the management challenges the UoN faces. The union went to court to seek dissolution of the council, saying that Mr Machogu had illegally appointed it.
The court ruled that indeed the CS had acted ultra vires the Universities Act (beyond his powers) but declined to quash the appointment, saying the application was late “and the consequences that would ensue as a result of granting the reliefs on the basis of a belated application”.
The fountain of knowledge at the University of Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“He (Mr Ogamba) has to clear the entire council as soon as possible. We expect him to move swiftly and remove the entire council and also engage quickly to appoint a new council with a new chair, people who have public interest in their hearts, not people who are coming to swindle university resources,” said Dr Richard Bosire, chair of the Uasu chapter of the UoN.
The union accuses Prof Anangwe of interference with the management of the university. The former chair has not responded to the accusations.
Last week, the university through the Director of Corporate Affairs John Orindi, dismissed the accusations as baseless and that the roles of chancellor, the council and the VC are distinct and defined in law and the charter.
“Section 18(9) empowers the chair of the council, amongst others, to communicate council resolutions for implementation. This does not amount to an infringement on the VC’s mandate to be CEO and head of academic affairs,” Mr Orindi said.
