This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
July 1, 2019, marked a tumultuous day for University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Peter Mbithi, as the university council declined to renew his contract. The decision has set off a power struggle among academics angling to replace him.
Among those in the running for the top position are Bernard Njoroge, Stephen Kiama, Julius Ogeng'o, and Isaac Mbeche. The council's rejection of Mbithi's request for a second term has left him isolated and lonely, with sources indicating that he is now lobbying to be appointed an ambassador.
According to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act, 2018, vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors in public universities are to be recruited by the Public Service Commission. Mbithi's allies initially advised him to move to court, but the decision was eventually shelved, with the council and government reportedly against him.
It is alleged that Mbithi had planted paraphernalia in his office to influence the council's decision, but the move appears to have backfired. The VC's allies have since advised him not to reapply for the position, citing the council and government's opposition.
As the power struggle intensifies, Mbithi's allies have been left reeling, with some reportedly weeping openly. The VC's allies have also been left to pick up the pieces, with some advising him to move on and focus on his future.
