MPs Call for Reinstatement of Prof. Stephen Kiama as UoN Vice Chancellor .
Two Members of Parliament have demanded the immediate reinstatement of Prof. Stephen Kiama as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi. The lawmakers termed the termination of his employment as unlawful.
Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia and Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto argued that the dismissal of Prof. Kiama was in violation of several legal frameworks, including the Universities Act, 2012, the Employment Act, and Article 47 (1) of the Constitution, which guarantees the fair administration of justice.
They emphasized that the process was not just illegal but a blatant disregard for these laws.
Prof. Kiama’s contract, according to Kaguchia, should have ended on January 5, 2025, since he was appointed on January 6, 2020, for a five-year term.
The MPs questioned the urgency behind his dismissal, as he was only four months away from completing his tenure.
“This is not only illegal but a mockery of the Employment Act, the Constitution of Kenya and the fair administration of justice,” the MPs said.
They pointed out that the Universities Act, 2012, allows a vice-chancellor to serve a full five-year term and possibly seek reappointment for a second term.
Integrity Concerns and Questionable Timing
Kaguchia raised concerns about what integrity issues were cited by the University Council to justify Prof. Kiama’s premature exit.
He suggested that the abrupt termination might be linked to the professor’s resistance to certain questionable decisions within the university, implying that there might have been illegal actions that Kiama refused to endorse.
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The MPs also highlighted that Prof. Kiama had formally expressed interest in seeking a second term on July 4, 2024.
They speculated that his removal could be part of a targeted campaign to implement plans that the vice-chancellor opposed.
They asked whether unknown parties were attempting to control the university’s assets and whether that was a factor in Kiama’s removal.
Furthermore, the legislators questioned why the university chose to terminate Kiama’s employment as a professor, which was separate from his role as vice-chancellor.
They found it perplexing that he was not only dismissed from his administrative role but also from his teaching duties, even though these are governed by different contracts.
Prof. Kiama’s Career at the University of Nairobi
Kaguchia noted that Prof. Kiama had risen through the ranks at the University of Nairobi without any previous concerns regarding his integrity.
He expressed disbelief that such serious claims could be made so close to the end of Kiama’s term, hinting at political interference.
“Why terminate his contract as VC and then terminate him as a university professor, which is a completely different contract,” the MPs asked.
On Monday, the University of Nairobi officially announced that Prof. Kiama, who had been suspended earlier, was now dismissed following ongoing leadership disputes.
The University Council’s chairperson, Prof. Amukowa Anangwe, confirmed in a letter that Kiama’s services were terminated as of September 27, 2024.
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The reasons for his dismissal were communicated to him directly, although the details were not made public.
In response to these developments, the MPs called upon Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Iyangala to intervene and clarify the reasons behind Prof. Kiama’s dismissal. They believe the matter requires government attention due to the potential legal violations involved.
MPs Call for Reinstatement of Prof. Stephen Kiama as UoN Vice Chancellor.
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