The entrance to the University of Nairobi, main campus.
The High Court has reinstated members of the council of the University of Nairobi whose appointments were recently revoked by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Ogamba.
In another twist, members of the council have been summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in relation to alleged irregular payments of their allowances.
This is the latest scene in the drama that has rocked the governance of the UoN. Through a Kenya Gazette notice on April 11 2025, Mr Ogamba revoked the appointment of Sally Ngeringwony Toroitich, Ahmed Sheikh Abdullahi, Dr Parmain Ole Narikae and Carren Kerubo Omwenga as member of the UoN council and appointed them to councils of other universities.
The chair of the council, Prof Amukowa Anangwe, was not affected by the changes.
However, Mr Ahmed Sheikh Abdullahi filed a petition in court seeking to reverse the move by the CS and Justice Lawrence N Mugambi has issued conservatory orders staying the revocation pending hearing of the petition.
“That the matter be mentioned virtually before Justice Bahati Mwamuye on 13/5/2025 for further directions,” the order reads.
The petitioner has named Mr Ogamba as the first respondent and the council first interested party.
Last month Mr Ogamba revoked the appointment of the whole council by Prof Anangwe went to court and secured his reinstatement, again, pending the hearing of his petition.
Education CS Julius Ogamba delivers his speech during the closing ceremony of the National Drama and Film Festival on April 15, 2025 at Melvin Jones in Nakuru.
The EACC has now written to the acting vice chancellor of the university, Prof Margaret Hutchinson, asking her to appear before the commission for interrogation and recording of statements. The other members summoned are Prof Anangwe, Dr Parmain Ole-Narikae, Dr Kenrick Ayot, Joel Kibe, Carren Omwenga and Ahmed Sheikh Abdullahi.
Last month, the EACC asked Prof Hutchinson to provide documents on properties belonging to the university, whose acquisition and leases it is investigating. The outcome of the investigation has not yet been made public.
The properties under investigation include hundreds of acres of prime properties in and outside of Nairobi County, as well as residential houses in upmarket suburbs of Lavington, Ngong Road, Arboretum Drive and Spring Valley.
The EACC requested for documents and information regarding the institution’s properties. The commission is investigating allegations of irregular and unlawful leasing out of the parcels of land owned by Kenya’s biggest university, including 10 acres in Kanyariri farm, 40 acres behind ANP hostels in Loresho, 100 acres in Kibwezi Field Station and 20 acres leased to Shamba Cafe Hotel in Loresho Ridge, Nairobi. Others are six acres next to the Dusit Hotel and Spring Valley next to a shopping centre.
Finance management probe
This comes as the University's Academic Staff Union (Uasu) also called for a probe into the financial management of the university.
Uasu chapter secretary of UoN Dr Maloba Wekesa, said the Auditor-General’s report raises queries about some of the properties.
“The Auditor-General queries raised various questions including leases of University Land specifically, Lower Kabete Road LR No. 1870/111/71, Kayahwe Road House LR No. 1/203, Spring Valley LR No. 7468/9 and Old Council Offices in Hurlingham,” said Dr Wekesa in a letter inviting the EACC to carry out investigations.
The UASU official said the Auditor-General's report stated that no information was provided on how the lessors were identified and the income stream from the rented out properties could not be identified in the University's income.
Further, in one of the parcels of land, the Auditor General notes that 'the parcel is leased out to an unknown person, he added.
"Further, the Auditor-General has noted massive irregularities in the administration of funds for the proposed construction of the University of Nairobi, Engineering and Science Complex. Notably, close to Sh100 million has been spent mainly on payment of allowances and a feasibility study with nothing else to show on the ground,” said Dr Wekesa.
