State employer formally takes over hiring of college managers

Public Service Commission CEO Alice Otwala. [File, Standard]

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has written to all public universities directing that all vacant positions be declared through it.

This follows amendments to the Universities Act signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta empowering the PSC to take over recruitment of top public universities managers from university councils.

The amended law - Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act, 2018 - moved the critical function of recruiting vice chancellors (VCs) and deputy vice chancellors (DCSs) to PSC.

It also requires chancellors of all public universities to be vetted by PSC, which will then recommend them to the Head of State for appointment.

In a circular to all chairpersons of public university councils, vice chancellors and principals of constituent colleges, the PSC lists a set of requirements that universities must observe to facilitate the recruitment process.

“The commission requires you to henceforth make a formal declaration of any vacancies where a vacancy arises,” wrote Stephen Kirogo, the PSC chairperson.

In the directive copied to Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Mr Kirogo states that in declaring a position vacant, universities must state the vacant title and prescribe the qualifications for appointment.

This must include academic and professional requirements, desired previous experience and achievements.

Universities must also list the core competencies required of persons filling the vacant position complete with the remuneration befitting the position, including salaries, applicable allowances and other benefits.

Expected deliverables 

Kirogo also wants universities to furnish the PSC with the duties and responsibilities of the office. This, he says, must include supervision, accountability and reporting arrangements.

The declaration to be made directly to the commission must also include expected deliverables of the new office, duty station or location of the job and terms of employment.

The circular dated February 14 comes when some universities had already invited applicants for top positions.

The Standard established that CS Amina has called university council representatives to a meeting today to discuss the developments.

Under the amended law, VCs and DVCs will be employees of the councils after a competitive process overseen by the PSC, a marked departure from the current practice where the council conducts the process.

But a number of university managers say the amended law has certain flaws that make it difficult to implement.

Earlier, vice chancellors had rejected the amendments, saying that giving the recruitment roles to the PSC was a deliberate effort to micro-manage the institutions and deprive them of autonomy.

Previously, the councils recommended appointees for vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellor, and principals and deputy principals of constituent colleges to the Cabinet secretary after a competitive process.

The PSC circular comes in the wake of a stalemate at the University of Nairobi, where the council rejected DVC appointments made by the CS Amina.

The involvement of PSC in the appointment process is expected to restore sanity in the delicate process that has polarised university management, sometimes along ethnic lines.