KU land Melee, VC Wainaina Fired, Council dissolved

Kenyatta University (KU) vice-chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina has resigned from his position amid a saga pitting the Kenya’s government against the University.

The university had challenged plans to cede a 30 acre piece of land owned by the institution for development of the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency hub.

VC Prof. Paul Wainaina had been directed by the Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua to surrender the land title deed of the said earmarked piece of land as the melee between the university and the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital (KUTRH) over the ownership of a 1,000-acre piece of land went bare-knuckle.

The university council lamented over a lack of negotiations, claiming that the land was simply severed without consultation.

At a groundbreaking ceremony for the hub on Sunday, July 10th, President Uhuru Kenyatta reprimanded public officials over public land management in what was widely presumed as an attack on the Kenyatta University VC Professor Wainaina.

“We have individuals who are very ignorant and behave as if they have never entered a classroom… they don’t understand that Kenya has never operated in isolation. We shall deal with those individuals swiftly and very effectively,” President Kenyatta had warned.

A day later, Tuesday, July 12, Prof. Wainaina told the university staff that he was leaving. Only last week, Wainaina had told the press of KU’s decision not to relinquish the land.

A visibly sad and crying Prof Wainaina told staff on Tuesday morning “This is probably the last time you’ll see me addressing you as VC”.

The University Council was also reportedly dismissed, set to be replaced by new faces.

The WHO hub is scheduled for completion in three years. It is expected to function as a regional hub. The Kenyan government has allocated 12.4 hectares (30.64 acres) with a committed fund of $5 million (Ksh600 million) for the project.