The University of Nairobi (UoN) Council has appointed Prof. Francis Mulaa, the newly named Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) in charge of Academic Affairs, as the Acting Vice Chancellor, effective May 5, 2025.
This comes ahead of the formal assumption of office by the substantive Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bitange Ndemo, who is currently concluding his diplomatic tenure as Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium.
According to an official memo signed by Prof. Amukowa Anangwe, Chair of the University Council, Prof. Mulaa will serve in the acting capacity for a period of six months or until Prof. Ndemo formally takes office.
“This is in exercise of the Council authority granted to the undersigned as per the resolution under Minute No. 17 (ii) and (iii) of the 145th meeting of the Council,” the memo dated May 5 reads in part.
The decision seeks to prevent a potential leadership vacuum following the end of Prof. Margaret Hutchinson’s term as Acting Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Ndemo, a former ICT Permanent Secretary and accomplished scholar, will return to the country upon completion of his diplomatic duties in Brussels.
The memo states that Prof. Mulaa’s acting term shall cease on the date Prof. Ndemo officially assumes the Vice Chancellor’s role.
In the interim, the Council mandated Prof. Mulaa to execute the responsibilities and authority of the Vice Chancellor in accordance with the Universities Act, 2012, the University of Nairobi Charter, 2013, and applicable government policies and circulars.
The Council had named Prof. Mulaa, a distinguished academic in the Faculty of Science and Technology, DVC Academic Affairs in a letter preceding his assignment as Acting Vice Chancellor.
Top performance in recruitment process positions former PS as frontrunner for leadership role
Prof. Elijah Bitange Ndemo, former ICT Permanent Secretary and distinguished academic, is strongly positioned to become the next Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi following his exceptional performance in the recently concluded recruitment process.
According to University Council documents seen by Kenya Insights, Prof. Ndemo emerged as the clear frontrunner for the prestigious position, scoring an impressive 84 percent in the Public Service Commission’s rigorous selection process.
This commanding lead—11 percentage points ahead of his closest competitor, Prof. Duke Orata who scored 73 percent—significantly strengthens his candidacy for the top leadership role at Kenya’s premier institution of higher learning.
WHY NDEMO STANDS OUT
Prof. Ndemo’s potential appointment would bring valuable leadership experience and academic credentials to the university at a critical time.
As a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Ndemo has demonstrated administrative capabilities at the highest levels of government, potentially bringing both public sector expertise and academic understanding to the role.
His strong showing in the PSC recruitment process suggests the selection panel recognized these qualifications, placing him well ahead of other candidates including Prof. Francis Jackim Mulaa, who received a score of 66.7 percent.
In a letter dated May 2, 2025, University Council Chairperson Prof. Amukowa Anangwe highlighted the urgency of finalizing the appointment, stating that it is “imperative to restore stability and continuity in the leadership of the University.”
PENDING CONFIRMATION
While Prof. Anangwe has called on Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to finalize the appointment process, official confirmation remains pending.
The letter from the Council Chairperson indicates Prof. Ndemo would begin serving “with effect from 2nd May, 2025, subject to ratification by the Council.”
The appointment process occurs against a backdrop of leadership challenges at the institution, including the earlier removal of former VC Prof. Stephen Kiama and ongoing tensions between the University Council and the Ministry of Education.
Should the appointment proceed as indicated by the university council, Prof. Ndemo would take over from acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, who would return to her substantive role within the university.
The pending appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the institution, which has been navigating leadership uncertainties for nearly two years.
Prof. Ndemo’s extensive experience, both in academia and public service, positions him as a potentially stabilizing figure who could chart a new course for the university if his appointment is formalized.
Education stakeholders now await the final confirmation from the Education Ministry to see whether Prof. Ndemo will indeed assume the leadership mantle at one of Africa’s most respected universities.
The University of Nairobi Council has announced the termination of Prof. Stephen Kiama’s tenure as vice chancellor.
In a memo dated October 14 and addressed to the university community, Council Chairman Amukowa Anangwe stated that Kiama ceased to hold the position on September 27, 2024.
The Council referenced a communiqué issued to the university community on August 2, 2024, which highlighted that Kiama’s services as an employee of the University of Nairobi were officially terminated effective September 27, 2024.
Anangwe noted that the reasons for Kiama’s termination were promptly communicated to him.
“The Council wishes to inform the university community that Prof. Stephen Gitahi Kiama’s services as an employee of the University of Nairobi were terminated effective September 27, 2024. Reasons for his termination were promptly communicated to him,” he said.
He assured the university community that the Council is committed to fulfilling its mandate and upholding the law.
“The university community should rest assured that whenever called upon, the Council will rise to the occasion and discharge its mandate faithfully and within the beacons of law,” Anangwe said.
In August, the University Council suspended Kiama for a period of three months, noting that he had failed to meet the requirements for a second term and, therefore, does not qualify to remain in office.
The Council went ahead and appointed Prof. Margaret Hutchinson as the acting vice-chancellor.
“We reached a resolution that Kiama’s request for a second term was not validly communicated and the contents were not satisfactory. So he did not qualify for a review for the second term. He does not qualify to be considered by the Council. The University of Nairobi, at its meeting today, resolved to suspend the Vice Chancellor,” Anangwe said then, following a meeting with the Council.
Kiama assumed the position of vice-chancellor at the University of Nairobi on January 5, 2020, succeeding Peter Mbithi, who was placed on compulsory leave. He was appointed for a five-year term that was set to conclude in 2025, as indicated in a letter from the then Council Chair, Julia Ojiambo.
However, his position in the institution has not been without challenges. Kiama’s woes began in September 2023 when he unexpectedly cut short his sabbatical leave and returned to work ahead of schedule.
The University of Nairobi Council had previously approved his request for a six-month sabbatical starting August 1, 2023, in accordance with his contract and directives from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
University of Nairobi Chancellor, Professor Patrick Verkooijen and Prof Stephen Kiama, whose tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the institution was terminated on October 15, 2024.
During his absence, the Council appointed Julius Ogeng’o to serve as acting vice chancellor.
Despite being on leave for 23 working days, Kiama returned to his duties on September 1, 2023, earlier than anticipated.
Upon his return, he dismissed Ogeng’o and proclaimed himself “well-rested and rejuvenated” on the social media platform X.
On April 19, 2024, during its 144th meeting, the Council placed Kiama on compulsory leave and appointed Prof. Ayub Njoroge Gitau as acting vice chancellor.
Kiama rejected the notice regarding his leave, labelling it unofficial, and urged both staff and students to disregard it.
He expressed concern that the situation had garnered significant attention and could create anxiety among the university community.
“My attention is drawn to a communication circulated to all members of staff and students by Mr. John Orindi on Friday, April 19, 2024, at 6:27 pm, claiming that the Vice Chancellor had proceeded on leave. I call upon all members of staff and students to ignore the communication,” Kiama stated in his letter.
He further encouraged the university community to focus on their collective goal of enhancing the institution’s global competitiveness and contributing to societal transformation.
“In the meantime, I call on all of us to recommit to the task ahead of driving the university to a truly globally competitive institution transforming society,” he added.
Even though the council has terminated Kiama’s position, it has not yet named a new vice chancellor.
All new students joining the University of Nairobi (UoN) should brace themselves for tough times as the administration moves to effect the new fee structure starting next month.
UoN Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Academic Affairs, Prof Julius Ogeng’o said the revised administrative charges will apply for all first year undergraduate and postgraduate students who report from September 20.
“This is to inform all students that the revised fee schedule will be implemented with effect from commencement of the 2021/2022 academic years,” said Prof Ogeng’o, in a circular dated August 24.
He also said that the revised schedule if academic fees will apply only to self sponsored first year undergraduate and postgraduate students reporting on the same dates.
However, he said that the revised administrative and academic fees will not apply to continuing students in second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth years. “For these students, the fees with which they were first registered will subsist.”
UoN vice chancellor, Prof Stephen Kiama said has that the university has received a record high of 6407 students, which was more than the declared capacity.
He said the university Senate met and approved all student admissions placed in the 61 undergraduate programmes at the university.
Appropriate measures
“The Senate observed that the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service placed more students than declared capacity in several of our programmes but agreed to take appropriate measures and ensure that all students are accommodated into their programmes of their choice,” said Prof Kiama in a virtual address to the UoN community on admission and orientation of first years.
The new students are expected to receive joining instructions and lectures to begin on October 4.
The university has also said the admissions of students who had initially been placed by KUCCPS or admitted in the last two years are still valid and have since been urged to register and report on September 20.
Last month, UoN students protested against fee increments, terming it as unacceptable and wrong move.
However, the university defended its move saying it was no longer tenable to run the institution with the current fees.
The administration also stated that it has not been revised fees in the last over 10 years despite the changing needs of the industry in addition to every course having its own costs.
Similarly, the university said it has had to scrap off some courses off because they have attracted fewer admissions over the past few years.
The university more than doubled fees, in what has also been considered a move to ease the raging cash crunch, attributed to reduced student enrollment.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report indicated that enrolment at UoN dropped from 98,715 in 2016 to 62,963 in 2020, an accumulative drop of about 36.2 per cent.
The university increased fees for Master’s courses like communication and MBA to more than Sh600,000 for a two-year programme from an average Sh275,000.
On the other hand, degree courses like commerce, economics and law under the Module II have been increased by up to 70 percent to about Sh1 million for the four years.
The fee increment is despite the Ministry of Education directive suspending all universities increment plans, shelving it to next year.
