Prof Stephen Kiama Appeals Against Dismissal as University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor

Prof Stephen Kiama Appeals Against Dismissal as University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor.

Prof Stephen Kiama has contested his termination as vice-chancellor and employee of the University of Nairobi (UoN), citing an unfair process.

During an exclusive interview with Nation, he disclosed that he was informed of his dismissal both from the position of VC and as a university employee.

Kiama’s contract as vice-chancellor, set to expire on January 6, 2025, had been under consideration for reappointment.

However, the university’s Council Chair, Prof Amukowa Anangwe, notified the university community through a communication dated October 14, 2024, that Kiama’s employment was terminated as of September 27, 2024.

Despite this, the university’s website still lists him as the institution’s eighth VC. Since August, Prof Margaret Jesang Hutchinson has served as the acting vice-chancellor.

Disciplinary Hearing Dispute

Kiama recounted that the university council had summoned him for a disciplinary hearing on September 27, 2024.

He believed that the council had a pre-determined verdict, claiming they had long sought to remove him.

According to Kiama, they communicated their decision through both email and a physical letter, even before he returned home from the hearing. He appealed to the council chair, calling the process unjust, but he received no response or acknowledgment.

“It’s a case of ‘I don’t like your face’ but what can you do about it? They have shown a lot of hostility [towards me] whose cause I can’t tell,” he said.

He added that the main accusation against him was his alleged lack of cooperation with the council. Kiama expressed confusion over the hostility he faced, suggesting it was simply a case of personal animosity from the council.

This was not Kiama’s first encounter with suspension. On August 3, 2024, the council had suspended him for the fourth time in a year.

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He received public backing from Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who was himself facing impeachment challenges.

Gachagua accused the university council of mistreating the vice-chancellor, noting that the UoN was running smoothly, yet its VC faced undue harassment.

Gachagua condemned actions taken against Kiama, including an alleged attempt to forcibly remove him from office.

Future Plans and Legal Recourse

Kiama indicated that while he was still considering his options, legal action could be a possibility, although he had not yet reached that stage.

“I’ll do further consultation and see what to do next. The courts are open, and that’s why they exist, but I’m not there yet,” he said.

He criticized the council for terminating his employment as a lecturer, a separate role from that of vice-chancellor, without any accusations of misconduct in his teaching duties.

Kiama has served at UoN since 1990, aside from a brief period when he pursued his PhD, and still had 10 years until retirement.

The council had instructed him to clear his belongings from the university, but he had yet to comply. Kiama also noted that he did not intend to reapply for the VC position, as he believed he only needed a review to extend his term.

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He had already submitted a request for a second term on July 4, 2024, listing several of his accomplishments, such as increasing external research grants from Sh1.9 billion in 2019 to Sh4.8 billion by the time of his request.

At the time this article was published, Prof Anangwe had not responded to inquiries from Nation, including calls and messages sent via phone and WhatsApp.

Prof Stephen Kiama Appeals Against Dismissal as University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor.

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