MPs have warned university Vice Chancellors that they risk being removed from office should they continue overseeing the collapse of the institutions.

The MPs who sit in the Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education committee, chaired by Bumula MP Wamboka Wanami, warned that they will not allow another public university to go down the same way as Moi University.

The MPs made it clear that irrespective of whether the heads of institution allow the clean-up to take place or not, they said will not allow rogue VCs to continue bringing down institutions funded by taxpayers. “Let it be known that we will not sit here and allow universities to go down like Moi University did. We will do whatever it takes to clean up these institutions,” said Wamboka

At a meeting with Maasai Mara university Vice Chancellor Prof Penina Aloo Obudho and Maasai Technical Institute to respond to audit queries, the MPs said it is sad that most of the institutions of higher learning have audit queries touching on irregular expenditure.

The sentiments by the lawmakers come at a time when learning at Moi university has been paralysed following a strike called by lecturers over non-payment of salaries amounting to about Sh12 billion.
Already, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has grilled Moi University VC Prof Isaac Kosgey over the running of affairs of the institution.

The EACC is investigating the alleged embezzlement of more than Sh2.2 billion at the university through fraudulent infrastructural projects.

Two MPs also demanded the reinstatement of former University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Stephen Kiama saying his term was yet to expire.

Debt burden
Mukurweini MP John Kagucia and Geoffrey Wandeto of Tetu have challenged the decision of the council, saying it raises a lot of questions. Kiama was sent packing by the Prof Amukowa Anangwe-led UoN Council on September 27, 2024.

“This is clearly a witch-hunt and begs the question; are there things the university council is planning and hell-bent on implementing in which the good professor is not keen,” the MPs said.

The move comes at a time when documents tabled in parliament six months ago revealed that 23 of the 40 universities are on the verge of collapse from heavy debts, with total debt burden across all institutions now hitting a record Sh76 billion.

Debt-ridden
The documents showed that the University of Nairobi had the highest debt amounting to Sh18 billion, Technical University of Kenya (TUK) Sh10.367 billion, Egerton University Sh10.363 billion, Kenyatta

University Sh9.538 billion while Jomo Kenyatta University has debt of Sh8.857 billion.

During the meeting with Maasai Mara University on Wednesday, the committee had threatened to institute measures to have the Vice Chancellor Aloo barred from running the affairs of the institution.

The MPs expressed their sentiments after the Aloo for the fourth time failed to provide responses to various audit queries to representatives of the Auditor General.

The VC, being the accounting officer, was to respond to queries raised by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu in her 2018/19 to 2022/23 audit reports.

Wamboka told her the Committee will do everything to ensure they address the management ills that are affecting the institution and will not allow her to ruin it like it is happening at Moi university.

“I don’t know why the Vice Chancellor finds it difficult to comply with the directions of the Committee. We are going to do an advisory to the National Assembly that we find you not capable of running that institution. You will not be running the affairs of the Maasai Mara University until further notice,” the chair threatened.

Isiolo MP Mumina Bonaya accused Aloo of not taking the committee seriously owing to her actions of failing to provide the necessary documentation to the auditor.

“It looks like they are taking us for a joke,” Bonaya said.

The decision of the committee came despite Aloo defending herself that she has been away in India and only came back a few days ago only to be taken ill.

“I did travel to India and wrote a letter to the Committee, when I came back, I was unwell but tried to compile the work and we submitted the documents on Tuesday,” Aloo explained.