Name University of Nairobi DVC, Education CS Jacob Kaimenyi told

The position of deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration at the University of Nairobi (UoN) is yet to be filled, two months after interviews were conducted. Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has been under immense pressure to pick one name from the list presented to him on February 25, 2015.

Bernard Njoroge, Enos Njeru, Isaac Kibwage and Bernard Adeda were shortlisted after the rigorous interview.

An interview report seen by The Standard reveals that Prof Njoroge scored 78.89 per cent. Prof Njeru followed him with 71.33 per cent.  Prof Kibwage scored 70.33 per cent and Prof Adeda 60.67 per cent.

But Wednesday, Prof Kaimenyi said there is no cause for alarm at the university and asked for patience. “There is no crisis at the university. We already have someone acting and it is allowed in law,” he said.

The CS said the Government must be allowed to work and cautioned people against pushing for their interests. “We cannot make decisions to favour interests of a few individuals, which are so selfish. Let the Government do its work,” he said.

Unions have now weighed in, piling pressure on Kaimenyi to make the appointment.

Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) and the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) officials said anxiety has greeted the university over the appointment.

“We are very angry and as you can see, the university staff are anxious,” said UASU official UoN chapter Mohamed Mwachiti.

Job criteria

Josephat Orwa of KUDHEIHA and Peter Waita of KUSU also asked for speedy appointment of the DVC.

The officials maintained that merit is the only factor to be considered in the appointment.

“We do not know any other criteria other than merit,” said Mwachiti.

But in an earlier interview, Kaimenyi said gender and regional balance must apply in appointments of staff in public universities. He said merit is not the only parameter for appointments.

“We cannot run a university based on tribal connotations and personalised interests,” he said.