UPDATE Monday, March 6: Following the students' unrest at Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST), the university has been closed indefinitely.
In a memo signed by Acting Vice Chancellor Charity Gichuki, the university senate announced that students should move out of the campus immediately and that the university would be closed forthwith.
The memo also stated that the 10th graduation ceremony that was scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 11, had been suspended until further notice.
"The University Senate during a special senate meeting held on March , 2023, at 1 pm deliberated on the disruption of University activities due to students’ unrest. Arising from this unrest, Senate resolved as follows; that the university be closed indefinitely. All students must leave all the university campuses with immediate effect," read the statement in part.
Transport was on Monday, March 6, paralysed at Nchiru market along the Meru-Maua road after students of Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST) took to the streets to protest Prof Romanus Odhiambo, the Vice Chancellor of the university, being sent on terminal leave.
In videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke, students engaged in running battles with police officers. A car on the road was torched in the melee.
Prof Odhiambo had been sent on terminal leave by the University Council citing underperformance.
In a letter dated February 28, 2023, Council Chairman Rosin Mwebi stated that the Council had evaluated Odhiambo’s performance and found it wanting.
In December 2022, he asked the university council to renew his contract, a request that was rejected.
The letter stated, “The University Council in its meeting held on February 27, 2023, evaluated your performance and found it below expectations. Therefore the council declined to renew your contract as requested in your letter dated December 20, 2022.”
The letter also downgraded some of the VC’s functions noting that he was to deal only with recurrent expenditure and personal emoluments. He was instructed that he was not authorized to deal with any capital projects at the university.
Previously, some members had accused Prof. Odhiambo of impunity in hiring staff. They also insisted that they want the Nairobi campus of the university closed.
He was sent on terminal leave on Friday, March 3, four months before his term expires in July. The students on strike wanted the terminal leave revoked.
He was told to go on terminal leave as the university council takes time to find a substantive replacement.
The removal of Prof Odhiambo from office sparked mixed reactions, with some Kenyans arguing that it was political.
Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma shared his thoughts in support of the embattled don noting, “How can Prof Romanus Odhiambo be incompetent! Some guys are taking negative ethnicity too far!”
Prof. Odhiambo is a Professor of Statistics with over 28 years of experience in academics and research. He has been serving as Vice Chancellor of the university since July 2018. He was appointed by former Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.
On Tuesday, February 28, the Public Service Commission (PSC) advertised ten positions of VCs and Deputy Vice Chancellors.
