Six Public Universities Get New Vice Chancellors

Six public universities have now substantive vice-chancellors after more than one and a half years of waiting.
The new vice chancellors fills the positions that were left vacant after the exit of previous heads, after the expiry of their two-year term.
Five of the six universities received their charters in 2016 and have had acting bosses while Kenyatta University vice-chancellor Olive Mugenda retired in 2016.
As at July last year, at least nine public universities were being run by vice-chancellors in acting capacities. This made it almost impossible to make critical decisions for the institutions.
Prof Paul Wainaina who has been acting as vice-chancellor at Kenyatta University has been confirmed, so was Prof Daniel Njiru of University of Embu.
University of Nairobi deputy vice-chancellor in charge of research Prof Lucy Irungu is the new vice-chancellor of Machakos University while Rongo University’s new vice-chancellor is Prof Samuel Gudu.
Prof Mary Ndung’u was confirmed as Kirinyaga vice-chancellor while Murang’a University’s new boss is Prof Dickson Nyariki.
Moi University, however, will have to wait longer as acting vice-chancellor Prof Laban Ayiro was not confirmed.

Other institutions with acting vice-chancellors are, Co-operative University of Kenya and Taita Taveta University.

Best human resource practices require that those in acting capacities hold the positions for about six months during which time the appointing authority should put in place a mechanism for competitive recruitment.