The government on Wednesday, July 14, unveiled a new Council to take over operations at Kenyatta University following the ouster of its Vice-Chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina.
In a Gazette notice, the state unveiled a new team of six individuals headed by former University of Nairobi (UoN) Vice-Chancellor Prof Chrispus Kiamba.
Other members of the team are Jane Wamoko, Carilus Odumbe, Maj. Gen (Rtd) Bashir Yussuf, Andrew Nyanchoga and Alice Muita.
Kiamba has had a storied career in higher education as well as the government and at the time of his appointment, he served as a faculty member in the Department of Real Estate and Construction Management, School of the Built Environment, College of Architecture and Engineering at UoN.
He was also the founding Permanent Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology before he transitioned to that of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Government of Kenya.
The appointment comes after Wainaina was relieved of duties following a tussle involving the title deed of a portion of Kenyatta University's land.
In his final address, Wainaina had noted that he was being hounded from office and the University Council had been dissolved for refusal to cede land for the World Health Organization project.
Earlier President Uhuru had called out the university management for opposing plans to cede part of the institution’s land to the WHO to build the Ksh600 million emergency hub that would cater for its regional operations.
Kenyatta University had complained that the WHO emergency hub was to be constructed without the university’s permission and the 338 acres where the hub was to be constructed were already set aside for other development projects.
"We were called by the Ministry of Education, by our CS, who affirmed that the Cabinet had already reached a decision on the parcels of land to be subdivided.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) to be allocated 30 acres, Africa Centre for Disease Control, 10 acres, and the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital 108 acres," he stated.
Wainaina's firing rattled Kenyatta University students who condemned the move and threatened to hold protests over the upcoming project.
