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Prof Wainaina resumes duty at KU after court overturned decision to terminate his tenure
Initially, Prof Wainaina's leave was set to end on January 30 and he was expected to resume duties the following day
Prof Paul Wainaina has returned to his position as Vice-Chancellor of Kenyatta University following Employment and Labour Relations Court declared his removal from office unlawful.
He was triumphantly received by university members of staff and student leaders who escorted him to his office at the Central Administration Block.
This is the second time in as many years that Prof Wainaina has bounced back to office after being sent on compulsory leave by the University Council in 2023.
In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, the court overturned the actions of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Kenyatta University Council ordering Prof Wainaina’s immediate reinstatement.
The court ruled that due process had not been followed in his removal and directed that he resume his duties without delay.
The legal battle began on April 14 last year when Prof Wainaina was sent on compulsory leave by the university council, which cited accumulated leave days as the basis for its decision. At the time, Prof Waceke Wanjohi was appointed acting Vice-Chancellor.
Initially, Prof Wainaina’s leave was set to end on January 30 and he was expected to resume duties the following day.
However, in December 2024, the council extended the leave further to allow him to exhaust what it claimed were 30 months of sabbatical leave accrued since October 2010, in addition to 22 days of annual leave and 30 days of terminal leave.
However, the court found these actions irregular. While nullifying the council’s appointment decisions, it clarified that Prof Wainaina’s term as Vice-Chancellor would continue until its scheduled end on January 26 next year.
Upon expiry of that term, he would revert to his role as a professor at the university, as he will not have reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 for university professors.
The ruling brings to closure a prolonged leadership dispute at the institution and marks a significant win for Prof Wainaina, who has now officially resumed office.
