KU Vice-Chancellor tells staff to ignore 'illegal' council
Education
By
James Omoro
| Aug 14, 2022
Kenyatta University staff and students have been asked not to take orders from the current administration over claims that it is illegitimately in office.
Embattled Vice-Chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina in a letter addressed to KU staff and students said that the current university council chaired by Prof Chrispus Kiamba is illegally constituted and cannot transact any business on behalf of the university.
On Friday, the Environment and Lands Court allowed the government to hive off 410 acres of land belonging to the university.
Justice Oscar Angote dismissed the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) case challenging the takeover of the land saying that the KU Council was justified to allow the government to take the land.
"The court is satisfied that the re-planning process outlined in the government request was for the benefit of the university, the hospital and residents," ruled Justice Angote
But Wainaina has told KU staff and students that they have appealed the court's decision. "The dismissal of the said case has been appealed under a certificate of urgency, even as we await verdicts in several other cases filed to seek redress. All I can say at this juncture is that justice will soon prevail," the letter reads in part.
"The former University Council and I were illegally hounded out of office for resisting Executive impunity to surrender 410 acres of Kenyatta University land without regard to laid out procedures and our 10 year Strategic and Vision Plan."
Wainaina said the current council and the Acting VC were handpicked to allow the excision of 410 acres of the university land, adding despite an existing court order, they gave the State the disputed land's title deed.
"The current Council and Acting Vice-Chancellor were hand-picked to quickly do what we refused to do; surrender 410 acres of KU land to the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning. Despite a Court Order against any further dealings on the land in dispute," said Wainaina
"They wasted no time in ceding the same in letters to Harambee and Ardhi houses, which they backdated to the date the Order was issued. This is blatant contempt of court and justice will be served soon."