The university council terminates the professor’s tenure after an entire year of wrangles at the learning institution.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) Council has officially terminated Prof. Stephen Kiama’s employment, effective September 27, 2024, ending his tenure as Vice Chancellor. The announcement came via a memo issued by Council Chair Prof. Amukowa Anangwe on October 14, 2024.
Although specific reasons for Kiama’s dismissal were not made public, Prof. Anangwe stated that the decision had been communicated to him. Kiama had served as Vice Chancellor since January 5, 2020, but his leadership has been marred by several controversies, including being placed on compulsory leave twice during his term.
Kiama’s appointment in 2020 marked the beginning of his five-year term, succeeding Prof. Isaac Mbeche, who had been acting Vice Chancellor since July 2019. Prior to becoming VC, Kiama held various senior positions at UoN, including Deputy Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and Administration.
An accomplished academic, Kiama joined the UoN faculty in 1990 as an assistant lecturer and steadily rose through the ranks to become a professor of Veterinary Anatomy by 2016. His leadership, however, faced continuous challenges, with the UoN Council suspending him multiple times over alleged insubordination. Most recently, in May 2024, Kiama was sent on compulsory leave, which he publicly rejected, leading to further tension between him and the Council.
In August 2024, the Council suspended Kiama once again, appointing Margaret Jesang Hutchinson as Acting Vice Chancellor. They accused him of refusing to take a 60-day leave as instructed and exceeding the maximum leave days allowed under his contract.
In response to the termination, the UoN Council reassured staff and students that they remain committed to upholding the university’s mission and values while adhering to legal protocols. As UoN moves forward, the focus shifts to securing stability and leadership to steer the institution towards its vision of global competitiveness.
