The Public Service Commission (PSC) has reinstated suspended Maasai Mara University Vice-Chancellor Prof Mary Walingo.

In a letter signed by chief executive Simon Rotich, PSC indicated that it considered the appeal filed by the VC through her lawyer Manwa Hosea to come up with the decision.

“Commission considered and allowed the above appeal pursuant to Section 74(5) of the Public Service Commission Act, 2017,” the letter.

The commission ordered that Prof Walingo be reinstated pending the hearing and determination of the case before the Anti-Corruption Court she is facing or until her contract is lawfully terminated.

“Appellant is paid half salary and the attendant allowances pursuant to Section 62 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act if the same has not been paid from the date of the charge or suspension,” PSC  notice. 

Walingo appealed the decision of the University Council to sack her, claiming it failed to give and accord her a fair hearing before reaching the decision to terminate her employment.

Walingo, in her appeal, said Maasai Mara University Council lacked the capacity to terminate her employment as the power lay with the Education Cabinet Secretary.

Through her lawyer, Wakingo argued that the Council should have submitted a recommendation to the Cabinet Secretary since it was a public university.

Prof Walingo was suspended on October 23, 2020, pending the hearing and determination of the Sh177 million graft case she was implicated in.

 Walingo and four others were in August 2020 charged in a Nakuru court with conspiracy to commit corruption offences, willful failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds, abuse of office, fraudulent false accounting and stealing by a person among other charges.

Public funds

Court heard that the VC alongside four others conspired to misappropriate public funds amounting to Sh177,007,754 from Maasai Mara University between January 24 and July 19, 2019.

Other suspects are Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration Simon Kasaine, former Acting DVC Finance John Almadi, former finance officer Anaclet Biket and her driver Noor Hassan Abdi.

Walingo faced seven of the charges, three of them alone while the other four were combined with either all the other four suspects.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs Prof Kitche Magak was appointed to the position in an acting capacity before he was sacked and replaced by Prof Joseph Chacha.