Court stops UoN changes made by Prof Stephen Kiama

Prof Stephen Kiama

University of Nairobi Vice-chancellor, Prof Stephen Kiama. Lecturers have moved to the High Court to overturn the proposed governance reforms at the university.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

The High Court has on Thursday issued orders stopping University of Nairobi (UoN) from effecting major changes announced by Vice-Chancellor Stephen Kiama.

Justice Maureen Onyango granted conservatory orders following a suit filed by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu).

Certifying the case filed by lawyer Titus Koceyo as urgent, the judge said the issues raised need to be resolved expeditiously.

“Due to the constitutional and fundamental issues raised in this petition by Uasu which touch on the core structure of the university, a conservatory order is hereby issued suspending the implementation of the proposed changes,” said Justice Onyango.

She directed Mr Koceyo to serve respondents with the suit papers so they may file responses.

The order means that all the old positions and abolished colleges will continue to exist until the case is determined in court.

Lecturers, through Uasu, had moved to court on Monday seeking conservatory orders against Prof Kiama, UoN and the Council to stop them from implementing the proposed governance reforms.

According to Uasu, the UoN Council failed to give policy guidance to the Vice-Chancellor regarding the intended reforms.

Due to the reforms, the lecturers argue, thousands of workers now face job losses.

According to Uasu, all the colleges, institutes and faculties purported to have been abolished are still alive in law as per the University of Nairobi Act, the University of Nairobi Charter Legal Notice No. 192 of 2013 and the University of Nairobi Statutes 2013.

Justice Onyango has fixed the case for hearing on July 28, 2021.