I never met Ruto, I'm no one's puppet — UoN's Kiama

When little-known professor of veterinary medicine Stephen Kiama was appointed to the top job at Kenya’s premier university, there was an uproar over his qualifications and whether strings were pulled.

The opposition forced Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha to revoke Kiama’s appointment as vice chancellor five days later and dissolve the University of Nairobi council.

Magoha accused the council of acting inappropriately and failing to consider the government’s input in filling the most powerful position at the nation’s most prestigious university.

He accused unnamed forces of “pulling strings with the aim of destroying the university”.

The court, however, quashed the government decision to revoke Kiama's appointment.

Magoha later addressed the embarrassing matter, saying, “President Uhuru Kenyatta had questioned his exclusion from the appointment process.”

Behind the backlash, there were undercurrents linking Kiama’s elevation to powerful forces associated with Deputy President William Ruto.

However, in an exclusive interview with the Star after his installation, Kiama credited his rise to become UoN’s eighth vice chancellor to merit, hard work and focus. He’ll need it because the university’s finances are a disaster.

“My appointment was on merit, merit and merit alone... I have never met Number 2 and I am not a political project,” Kiama said, referring to Ruto.

Reports had emerged the DP had influenced his appointment and that was why Magoha was fighting it. There is a chasm between President Kenyatta and Ruto and this is said to have played out in the appointment. 

Kiama rubbished the idea he had any political blessings or a godfather as propaganda.

"I was shortlisted and it was in the public domain but nobody said anything until my appointment. The minute you’ve been shortlisted it means you have what it takes to take up the position. Any of those shortlisted could rise to be the top candidate,” Kiama said.

Despite the Education CS opposing his appointment, Kiama reads largely from Magoha’s own script on university reforms.

He supports the CS’s proposals to merge institutions and some programmes and to cut costs, saying these measures will help ensure the institution deliver effectively.

Kiama's story goes back to a small village in Nyeri county, where he was born and schooled, but he considers University of Nairobi his second home.

“I have been an academician my whole life, I don’t know any other life,” Kiama said.

He joined the university after his A-levels in Nakuru High School. He graduated in 1990 with a degree in veterinary medicine. The UoN hired him as an assistant lecturer.

He was later promoted to lecturer (1995), senior lecturer (2002), associate professor (2012) and professor (2016). Today he counts a little less than three decades of service to his sole employer, UoN.  

As the leader of the pack, he prides himself on having the vision to power the university.

“As a country, we have been conditioned to certain things, but for a country to grow, there must be that person who brings new ideas, a new agenda because everybody wants things to remain as they are.”

Kiama envisions leading UoN to reclaim its commanding position and offer direction, solutions, innovations to the community.

He inherits the institution at a time of unprecedented financial distress that threatens its operations.

In 2019, Auditor General Edward Ouko reported the university was drowning in debt. It was unable to remit workers’ deductions of Sh2 billion.

The university also failed to remit PAYE of Sh283 million, National Social Security Fund deductions of Sh3.4 million and National Hospital Insurance Fund deductions of Sh10.8 million.

It failed to submit pension contributions of Sh1.5 billion, sacco deductions of Sh204 million and Helb deductions of Sh828,387.

In his five-point agenda to turn around the university, Kiama outlines a radical blueprint.

He seeks to streamline the finance systems, develop a data management system, review curriculum and reexamine governance structure.

The VC admits there will be “casualties” but said it’s for the greater good.

“All the organs, all the faculties, institutes, departments have to look at what they need and don’t, the value they bring to the table,” Kiama said.

The professor has set up a team to review contentious issues around promotions and programme sustainability.

 “Some units have been receiving two students, so we must consider. Then we decide whether to close it or restructure,” Kiama said.

He called the current government funding model inefficient and in need of an overhaul.

Kiama says the fees are far below market rates, hurting operations.

“The current funding method is unequal and creates irrationality. This must be addressed,” Kiama said.