UoN academic staff call for dissolution of university council
UASU has urged CS Ogamba to immediately disband the council, adding that any delay in action would send it the ‘Moi University route’
The University Academic Staff Union for the University of Nairobi has called for the dissolution of the university Council raised over mismanagement within the giant institution.
Led by UASU National Chairperson Grace Nyongesa, the academic staff have called for swift action from the education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba emphasizing that they’ll not sit and watch UON crumble as Moi University did.
They urged CS Ogamba to immediately disband the council adding that any delay in action would send it the ‘Moi University route.’
“We call upon the Education CS, Julius Ogamba to take quick action. We are not ready to watch our university collapse and die in our eyes. He must take action. He should send the council home immediately,” UASU Chairman, Nairobi Chapter Richard Bosire stated.
According to the Academic officials, UON requires a bailout without reaching a critical state as he insisted that preventive measures must be taken immediately.
“The lack of urgency in dissolving the University Council will cripple the institution,” the chairman warned.
The National Chairperson Grace Nyongesa urges that if immediate actions are not taken, UON will be brought down to its knees.
She accused ‘individuals of making decisions and super-imposing them on the academic staff as she termed it an infringement of their rights.
“Decisions affecting members of academic staff are being taken at the University of Nairobi without involving them. The staff needs to be involved for the smooth running of the institution,” she stated.
UASU has also urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to intervene, citing ongoing abuse of office by the council as they criticized the Chancellor’s involvement in the university’s day-to-day management, arguing that his role, as defined in the University Act, does not include administrative duties.
The academic staff expressed concern that the existence of multiple centers of power—the Council, the Vice-Chancellor, and the Chancellor—is creating confusion and weakening university management adding that the power struggle was a deliberate strategy to enable mismanagement and corruption.
