Crisis at UoN deepens as Anangwe, four others charged with abuse of office
They are accused of passing a resolution that reappointed Brian Ouma as COO, overruling a revocation by then Vice-Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama
The leadership crisis at the University of Nairobi has taken a fresh twist after the varsity’s Council chairman Prof Amukowa Anangwe and two members Dr Ahmed Sheikh Abdullahi and Carren Kerubo Omwenga were charged over allegations of abuse of office.
The charges preferred by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are in relation to the alleged irregular appointment of Brian Ouma as the Chief Operations Officer (COO).
However, they were released on a Sh1million bond with a surety of similar amount.
Anangwe was also granted an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000 and ordered to deposit his passport in court.
Ouma, who is the acting COO at the university, was also arrested after EACC investigations established that he was not qualified for the position and that his appointment was irregular and fraudulent.
In a statement on its X account, the anti-graft agency said the UoN Council improperly conferred a benefit on Ouma by passing a resolution to appoint him to the position.
It added that the inquiry file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who, upon review, approved abuse of office charges against Prof Anangwe and council members, Dr Abdullahi, Ms Omwenga, Joel Kamau Kibe and Dr Darius Mogaka Ogutu.
They are accused of passing a resolution that reappointed Ouma, overruling a revocation by then Vice-Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama.
Ouma also faces separate charges of unlawfully receiving over Ksh 32.5 million in salaries between 2015 and 2025 while holding roles he allegedly wasn’t qualified for.
The four suspects were processed at the Integrity Centre Police Station and later arraigned before Milimani Anti-Corruption Principal Magistrate Celestine Okore.
Meanwhile, EACC has directed Kibe and Dr Ogutu, to immediately report to the Integrity Centre.
“EACC is also seized of other investigations, currently at an advanced stage, relating to allegations of embezzlement of public funds and the irregular leasing of various parcels of land by senior officials at the University of Nairobi,” it added.
Prof Anangwe was arrested earlier today at the Kisumu International Airport and put on a flight back to Nairobi while the others were seized in Nairobi.
The latest development comes at a time the UoN Council is under scrutiny over the saga surrounding senior appointments at the institution, which resulted in Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium Prof Bitange Ndemo declining to take the Vice Chancellor’s job citing a flawed process.
Other appointments made by the Anangwe-led team including that of Prof Francis Mulaa as acting VC were rescinded by Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr Beatrice Inyangala who reinstated Prof Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, who has been holding the role in acting capacity.
