Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha's bid to change the University of Nairobi's leadership has hit yet another snag following a Thursday, January 23, High Court ruling.
The CS had sought the suspension of orders issued on January 20, against his decision to dissolve the UoN council led by Dr Julia Ojiambo.
The High Court further stopped Magoha from appointing a chairperson and members to the council.
The court made the ruling after Ojiambo file a lawsuit challenging the CS's decision to revoke the council's appointment.
In her case, she argued that the council had been constituted through a Gazette notice of September 2018 for three years which had not elapsed yet.
The tussle began on Friday, January 17, when he gazetted the revocation of the appointment of Professor Stephen Gitahi Kiama as the university vice-chancellor.
"In addition to revoking the entire council with immediate effect, Magoha revoked the appointment of Prof. Stephen Gitahi Kiama as the vice-chancellor of the University of Nairobi until the ongoing consultative process of appointing a substantive vice-chancellor is completed.
"Prof. Kiama will continue dispensing his duties as deputy vice-chancellor in charge of human resource and administration at the university," read a section of the press release.
Among the council members whose appointments were revoked are Ojiambo, who served as the chairperson of the council. Flora Mtuweta Mighulo, Jocelyn Marie Rarieya, Hassan Abdi Mohamud, Isaac Chebon Kiprop and Kariuki Muchemi.
Professor Kiama had beaten Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Madara Ogot and Prof Patricia G. Kameri Mbote to the VC post on Monday, December 6, 2020, before his appointment was revoked.
