UoN Draws Criticism for Appointing COO with Unrecognized Qualifications.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) is facing criticism for disregarding advice from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) by proceeding with the appointment of Brian Ouma as its Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Ouma was selected to oversee non-academic departments and manage daily administrative functions, but his academic credentials have sparked controversy.
In July, UoN’s Council appointed Ouma as the Acting COO, a role the EACC has since labeled irregular. The commission investigated and questioned Ouma’s qualifications, identifying his degree as unrecognized in Kenya.
Specifically, the EACC pointed out that Ouma’s Bachelor of Philosophy from Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, Italy, is not acknowledged by Kenya’s academic standards.
EACC emphasized that the UoN Council’s decision to appoint Ouma was based on this unaccredited degree, a move they have requested to be revoked. They notified UoN’s Council of this irregularity, urging the university to reconsider Ouma’s position.
Commission for University Education’s Verification
The Commission for University Education (CUE) in Kenya confirmed that Pontifical Urbaniana University is not accredited in Kenya, meaning its degrees are not valid within the country’s education system.
This has raised further questions about the legitimacy of Ouma’s appointment as a senior university official.
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In response to these claims, UoN extended Ouma’s contract by six months. They insisted that his qualifications are legitimate and that his degree is from a recognized institution, disputing EACC’s assertions.
According to UoN’s Director of Corporate Affairs, John Orindi, the allegations were dismissed as a “baseless witch-hunt,” with the university defending the validity of Ouma’s academic background, though they acknowledged concerns about his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) score.
EACC noted that Ouma was admitted to his degree program at Pontifical Urbaniana University despite a mean grade of C- in his KCSE, which is below the requirement for direct entry into a degree program at Kenyan universities.
This discrepancy has raised further debate over the university’s standards for its senior appointments.
Allegations of Irregular Role Creation
Beyond qualifications, EACC identified procedural issues in the creation of the COO position, asserting that it and other roles contravened the Universities Act of 2012.
EACC advised that statutory guidelines require UoN’s Council to seek the Cabinet Secretary’s approval for modifications to its management structure.
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The UoN Council has contested EACC’s conclusions, requesting copies of the complaint that initiated the investigation. They also asked CUE to provide a report on the findings, along with documentation to clarify that individuals with a C- in KCSE do not qualify for degree programs in Kenya.
In defending its decision, the UoN Council has urged EACC to substantiate its claims with relevant evidence, expressing commitment to ensuring fair administrative justice for Ouma.
UoN Draws Criticism for Appointing COO with Unrecognized Qualifications
