UASU slams University of Nairobi for re-advertising vice chancellor post

UASU University of Nairobi chapter leaders stand in solidarity during a media briefing on December 18, 2025. [Juliet Omelo, Standard]

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has condemned the University of Nairobi for re-advertising the vice chancellor position, describing it as wasteful, opaque, and damaging to the institution’s credibility.

UASU leaders said that the re-advertisement is unnecessary, as the Public Service Commission had already completed interviews and shortlisted three qualified candidates six months ago.

 “Why re-advertise the VC position when the process was already done? This is a waste of public resources and undermines transparency,” said UASU UoN chapter Chairman Richard Bosire.

The union accused the university leadership of allegedly ignoring merit-based procedures, warning that political influence, nepotism, and ethnicity should not play role in public appointments.

Dr Bosire emphasized that the vice chancellor is central to steering the university and ensuring stability, and delaying the appointment only prolongs governance uncertainty.

UASU UoN chapter Secretary Maloba Wekesa said the re-advertisement is part of a wider pattern of poor management at the university. Several senior management positions, including Deputy Vice Chancellors and key support officers, have been left in acting capacities for extended periods, creating room for manipulation and undermining staff confidence.

The union also linked the issue to unresolved labour matters, saying that senior academic staff who meet the retirement age under the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement remain off the payroll, while some staff with questionable qualifications reportedly continue to work despite investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

“This is a disgrace to the University of Nairobi, an institution where we train future leaders,” Bosire said.

“We demand the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of affected professors and the full payment of all salary arrears owed to them,” he added.

UASU warned that any attempts by the chancellor or council members to interfere with university operations would be resisted.

The union cited a court order barring the chancellor from creating an office or engaging in operational matters, insisting the institution must be run according to law and statutes.

“The chancellor’s role is purely ceremonial. There is a standing court order barring the establishment of an office within the university or any asset disposal, and that order must be respected,” Dr Wekesa said.

The union called on the Ministry of Education to ensure a transparent recruitment process for the VC and the university’s governance and labour obligations are upheld.

“We will not allow political maneuvering to undermine the university’s future. The staff and students are the backbone of this institution, and their interests must come first,” Wekesa said.

With the re-advertisement raising serious questions about transparency, UASU has vowed to monitor the process closely and hold the university accountable.