KUSU tells Varsity council members to step aside over Sh190m heist

KUSU Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya addresses the media in Nakuru September 21. The union has called for the resignation of Maasai Mara University council members the loss of Sh190 million at the institution. [Standard]

Kenya Universities Staff Union’s (KUSU) National Governing Council has called for the resignation of all Maasai Mara University Council members to pave way for a serious probe into the alleged embezzlement of Sh190 million.

KUSU Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya said the council members’ resignation will allow the institution’s staff with evidence against those involved in the heist to volunteer the same to investigating agencies for speedy and conclusive investigations.

Maasai Mara Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Mary Walingo has since been sent on compulsory leave after she was implicated in misappropriation of funds, fraud, and abuse of office.

“The union calls for the resignation of the Council members as this will facilitate the investigations as staff with evidence against the suspects will feel free to volunteer the same to investigators,” said Mukhwaya

Speaking in Nakuru, the Secretary General said the union has continued to receive information from its members working at Maasai Mara University that they were being threatened over any volunteering of information around financial and human resources impropriety.

Some of their members he said have genuine concerns on their security and their lives due to the sensitive departments they work in coupled with the information they have.

KUSU has also urged the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to carry out investigations in other public universities, saying embezzlement of funds is rampant in almost all universities.

The union regretted that even after raising issues about mismanagement at Embu and Masinde Muliro Universities nothing has been done.

“It is not only Maasai Mara University that has cases of graft, but on the previous occasions we raised issues about other universities, but no action has been taken,” Mukhwaya.

Council chairman Dr Samuel Agonda Ochola while announcing the suspension of Prof Walingo said they are ready to cooperate with Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and that no staff will be victimised for speaking to DCI officers.

“No staff will be victimised as we will use the internal mechanism to deal with those involved,” Dr Ochola had said.

Many staff members have been interrogated at the university since a media expose where Prof Walingo is alleged to have hatched a massive scandal that led to the loss of Sh190 million.