Education Minister Machogu [Photo: Daily Nation]
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu has ordered for the reinstatement of Meru University Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Romanus Odhiambo.
This is after he was sent on terminal leave for 121 days by the university council, which also declined to review his 5-year contract.
In a statement, Machogu said the Council’s decision did not follow the law.
“The decision to send Prof. Odhiambo on terminal leave and to appoint an acting Vice-Chancellor is unlawful because it was made without consulting the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, as required by law; specifically, Section 35(1) (a) of the Universities Act, 2012 which unequivocally lays responsibility on the Council of a public university to appoint a Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary,” he said.
“The ministry therefore directs the university council to rescind the decision, and facilitate the resumption of Odhiambo as VC with immediate effect, in any case before the closure of business on March 7,” added Machogu.
The CS also directed that normal operations at the institution to resume on Wednesday and the graduation ceremony to proceed on Saturday.
This comes after Meru University of Science and Technology main campus was yesterday closed indefinitely following a students’ riot.
Afterwards, the University Senate suspended the tenth graduation which was set to take place on 11th of March until further notice.
“The University management is directed to facilitate the reopening of the university for the return of students and the resumption of normal operations not later than Wednesday, 8th March, 2023. The University’s 10th graduation ceremony that was planned to take place on 11th March, 2023 will proceed as scheduled. The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education will attend the ceremony,” said the education CS.
Machogu further said that plans were underway to set up a new Council of Meru University as the current members’ term comes to an end on March 9, 2023.
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