Prof. Dr. Nathan Oyori Ogechi was recently appointed the new Kisii University Vice Chancellor and he brings with him stellar academic qualifications and a wealth of experience in research, teaching and university leadership.
Prof. Ogechi, who attended Koelel High School in Gilgil, was among the top ten university Professors shortlisted for interviews to fill the position.
The shortlisting process was conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and involved 16 individuals from 7 counties.
Prior to his appointment as the head of Kisii University, he served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and also as the acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration, Planning, and Development at Moi University.
He held various positions at the institution, starting from Graduate Assistant to Full Professor in the Department of Kiswahili and other African Languages.
The 55-year-old obtained his B.Ed. (Arts) with Upper Second Class Honors from Moi University in 1990, followed by a Masters and MPhil. (Kiswahili Studies) from the same university between 1991 and 1993.
In 2002, he earned his PhD in African Linguistics and African Studies from the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Prof. Ogechi, also a renowned Professor of African Linguistics specializing in Contact Linguistics and Linguistic Human Rights, has served as an external examiner at several universities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, and has contributed to international journals through his publications in Kiswahili, English, German and Russian.
Additionally, he is a DAAD scholar and works as a Research Associate and Consultant for the Centre of Advanced Study of African Society (CASAS) in South Africa.
The new VC is actively engaged in language harmonization and standardization, specifically in Kenyan and cross-border languages.
He has provided consultation services for the German GIZ Health Sector Programme and the African Union’s Pan-African Parliament.
Additionally, Prof. Ogechi has held governance positions as a member of the Moi University Council and as a Director of the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF).
By Amos Kerich
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