Turkana University leadership wrangles draw in politicians

The protracted leadership wrangles that have stalked Turkana University College for the past one year have attracted the attention of community leaders who want the conflict resolved. 

The leaders, led by Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok, say that it has taken too long to resolve the dispute, accusing the current top management of the institution of favouritism in the recruitment process.

They claimed that locals have been locked out from the helm of the institution, which they vowed “to protect and own like their own child”.

“We should not take three years to solve the wrangles at the institution. We are giving the Ministry of Education and concerned authorities one month to resolve,” Mr Nanok said.

Turkana North MP Christopher Nakuleu said that local leaders would streamline the institution to meet the objectives the Turkana community had in mind when it requested President Uhuru Kenyatta to have it established.

“We won't allow the university college to be transformed into a recruitment centre for other tribes where even a watchman is sourced from outside the community,” Mr Nakuleu said.

Self-sponsored students

Turkana Woman Representative, Joyce Emanikor, said that the area MPs have been at the forefront of ensuring that capitation funds for the institution are raised by the Ministry.

"The institution also gets a lot of funds from self-sponsored students in terms of fees yet we don't have staff who are employed on permanent and pensionable terms," Ms Emanikor addes.

Turkana Central MP John Lodepe said that if by February the dispute will not have been resolved, he would personally lead a peaceful demonstration in Lodwar town.

“We will ask Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology to take back its staff who are just at the institution to be paid for no work done,” he claimed.

The situation at Turkana University College escalated in January last year when the governing council sent the substantive principal, Prof Thomas Akuja, on compulsory leave for allegedly defying Ministry of Education directives, misappropriation of funds and abuse of office.

Ambitious plan

The leaders said that the wrangles are hindering the institution’s growth, yet it had the potential to be a leading institution in the region.

In August last year, there was a change of guard when the council chairman, Dr Solomon John Muchina, unveiled Prof George Ndiema Chemining'wa as the new acting principal for six months.

Prof Chemining'wa, from University of Nairobi, replaced Dr Fredrick Nyongesa Kassily who was leading the institution in an acting capacity after Prof Akuja was sent on compulsory leave.

Dr Muchina described the appointment of Prof Chemining'wa as among the steps the council was taking to streamline the operations at the university with focus being on getting a charter in the next two years.

He added that they were banking on the new principal to roll out the ambitious plan of getting a charter in the next two years.