The University Academic Staff Union(UASU) now wants the government to expedite the appointment of new Vice chancellors in public universities.
University of Eldoret ( UOE ) chapter’s Secretary General Philip Chebunet said this will ensure stability at the universities.
“It is sad that despite conducting interviews in some public universities the government has not named substantive VCs three months down the line.
This is uncalled for and should be looked into seriously,” said Chebunet while speaking to the press in his office.
He said the government should move with speed and address the issue to save public universities from more crises.
Chebunet noted that the interviews should be done purely on merit regardless of one’s religion or political affiliations for the institutions to be run and managed in an efficient manner.
“As I am talking key operations in some universities without substantive VCs is on the verge of collapsing,” he said.
At the University of Eldoret, the term of the VC Prof Akenga has come to an end after serving for 10 years at the helm of the institution of higher learning.
The university council under the chairmanship of Dr. Ismail Buro appointed Prof Wilson Ngetich to be the acting vice-chancellor.
“The acting VCs, cannot address any issues facing the universities, a situation that has curtailed the smooth running of the affected public institutions across the country,” he said.
He implored the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to carry out investigations into the financial status of universities where the former VC’s term in office ended to enable the new VCs to start on a sound leadership and financial footing to save them from inheriting the burden of the former holders of the offices.
“The former VCs who messed up their institutions should not pass the same baton to their predecessors and that is why we are calling on EACC and DCI to probe their office first before new ones take over the leadership positions at the public universities,” Chebunet noted.
By Wasike Elvis
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