Five police officers attached to University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama were withdrawn after he walked back to the office despite him being on leave.
Prof Kiama had been sent on leave but he has declined the move by the university council and instead continued to report to work.
He at one stage arrived office with the security attached to him and forced his way to the office.
Apart from the armed police officers, the university security officials attached to him have been withdrawn.
“As a result, the bodyguards that have been assigned be withdrawn as Prof Kiama is on leave,” said an internal memo.
Drama is playing out at the University of Nairobi pitting the council and Prof Kiama.
This is after Prof Kiama trashed a communique directing him to go on leave.
Instead, he urged members of the university staff and students to ignore the directive, implying that he was still in office.
“My attention has been drawn to a communication which was circulated to all members of the staff and students on Friday 19th, April 2024 at 6:27 PM claiming that the vice chancellor had proceeded on leave,” Kiama said in his memo dated April 22.
“This matter has elicited a lot of publicity and has the potential to lead to apprehension to both members of the staff and students. I call upon all members of the staff and students to ignore the communication.”
He later issued another memo on planned recruitment of staff at the institution.
“This is to draw to your attention to the recent court case of external advertisements at the University of Nairobi of twenty four positions. The court quashed the advertisements on the basis that the positions have not been established in the University.”
“The Council is seized in this matter and is in the process of developing appropriate Human Resource Instruments that will provide for the positions required in the university and forward the same to the Public Service Commission for consideration and approval,” the memo dated April 22 read in part.
In the meantime, he added, the legal advisory is since that the said positions are irregular, there should be no appointment of any form until / unless they are regularised under Public Service Commission Act 2017 as guided by the judgement. Under section 2 of the Public Service Commission Act 2017 “appointment” includes appointment, acting appointment, re-appointment, promotion, and re-designation.
He added the University will comply with the ruling and advise from the Director of Legal Services.
This comes amid inside tussles, which are being fueled by outsiders.
Some politicians are said to be interested in the management of the institution and are said to be behind the push and pull there.
“Prof Kiama is aligned to some politician who is telling him not to move while some council members are also beng pushed by some political forces hence the drama,” said an insider.
There has been a push to have the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu intervene in the matter.
The University of Nairobi council on Friday April 19 announced that it had sent VC Kiama on compulsory leave.
This followed the council meeting held on the same day.
Chairperson of the council Amukova Anangwe said the council has appointed Prof Ayub Njoroge Gitau as the acting Vice-Chancellor.
The council announced that Prof. Ayub Njoroge Gitau, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering had been appointed to act as the Vice Chancellor effective Friday, April 19, 2024.
“The Council resolves that the Vice Chancellor prof. Stephen Kiama Gitahi proceeds on leave effective April 19, 2024,” read the memo in part.
“The University fraternity is called upon to support Professor Ayub Njoroge Gitau as he discharges how new responsibility as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi,” the memo added.
The council did not communicate the reason for the decision.
Prof Kiama had last September returned from his six-month leave while the council-backed replacement Julius Ogeng’o was still in office.
Kiama requested the council to grant him leave in early August up to end of January 2024.
In his place, Ogeng’o, the deputy VC in charge of Academics, was appointed to act in Kiama’s place.
Prof Kiama said he was still in charge even when on leave and reserved the right to get back to work at any time so long as his contract was still in force.
He later returned to office causing more confusion.