Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has officially inaugurated the new University Council for the University of Nairobi, urging its members to work collaboratively, respect institutional boundaries, and refrain from micromanaging the university’s management.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held at the University of Nairobi, CS Ogamba emphasized the need for teamwork, mutual respect, and adherence to proper governance structures.
The new council will be chaired by seasoned academic and administrator, Prof. Chacha Nyagoiti Chacha.
The Cabinet Secretary cautioned against a repeat of the challenges that plagued the previous council, including overreach, internal conflicts, and attempts to discipline staff actions that fell outside the council’s mandate.
“Just do your job and don’t micromanage the management and staff of the university, as we saw with the previous team that purported to discipline staff and make such decisions,” said CS Ogamba.
He noted that the disbanded council had failed due to a lack of consultation, encroachment into management roles, and dysfunction, which not only damaged the institution’s reputation but also hindered the formation of key partnerships.
The CS further decried the university’s high number of legal battles, reportedly over 200 court cases, which he said are depleting public resources and shifting focus from the institution’s core academic mission.
“Your first assignment is to examine these cases and see how to handle them, including compromises that could ease the burden off the university and the public so that it is back to doing its job,” he said.
He advised the council to engage widely, including consulting the Office of the Attorney General, to ensure decisions are legally sound and in the best interest of the university.
The University of Nairobi, Kenya’s oldest and largest institution of higher learning, is poised for renewed governance and stability under the new council’s stewardship.
