Masinde Muliro university hunts for new leaders

Masinde Muliro University

The main gate of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kakamega County.

Photo credit: File| Nation Media Group

The Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) has kicked off a fresh recruitment process for a new vice-chancellor and three deputy vice-chancellors.

The positions have been advertised by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in the local dailies after the earlier recruitment was derailed by court cases challenging the process.

The positions advertised are those of the vice-chancellor, deputy vice-chancellor (academic and student affairs), deputy vice-chancellor (administration and finance) and deputy vice-chancellor (planning and research).

Those interested in the positions have until March 2, 2021 to submit their applications to the PSC.

Masinde Muliro University has been without a vice-chancellor since November 2018 when Prof Frederick Otieno's term came to an end.  Prof Solomon Shibairo is the acting vice-chancellor after his appointment in March 2020.

The absence of a substantive vice-chancellor and deputy vice-chancellors has seen the university go through a turbulent period in the last two years, characterised by student unrest and protests by union members.

The recruitment hit a snag after activist Okiya Omtatah filed a petition challenging the move by the Public Service Commission to include two former University Council members as part of the interviewing panel, claiming the decision had influenced the outcome.

Mr Omtatah had argued that the inclusion of former council chairman Dr Jeremy Bundi and two other members of the University Council had invalidated the results.

The petition was dismissed by the Labour Relations and Employment Court.

In his judgment, Justice Stephen Radido ruled that the inclusion of the council members in the panel that interviewed the applicants was not illegal and fatal to the recruitment process.

The three candidates who emerged top in the interviews conducted by PSC were Prof Joseph Bosire, Prof Sibilikhe Makhanu and Prof Gitonga Mburugu but the position has been re-advertised.

Union officials at the university had written to Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha, accusing three council members of frustrating the recruitment process for the vice-chancellor.

The petition came from the Masinde Muliro Chapter of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha).

The petition, dated June 28, 2020, read in part: “We also wish to note that there is a well-hatched scheme by the council members to create confusion, cause a stalemate and finally petition for the dissolution of the council even before the recruitment of substantive officer holders.”

The petition was copied to Dr Peter Wanyanga, the Masinde Muliro University Chancellor.