Suspended Kenyatta University vice-chancellor Paul Wainaina is set to be reinstated today.
According to sources within the government and at the university, Prof Wainaina’s return comes after parties involved in a dispute that led to his exit signed a consent to withdraw court cases.
The VC was suspended on July 12 following a tiff between him and the university council on one hand and State House on the other over the sub-division of the university’s land for use by the Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) to set up a World Health Organisation logistics hub — the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Kamae squatters.
He had earlier been suspended for 30 days “pending investigations” into allegations of “acts of misconduct” but cases filed in court had delayed settlement of the matter.
The council was also dissolved and another one was appointed to facilitate the transfer of the land. However, court cases that followed and the general election scuttled the plan.
Prof Waceke Wanjohi has been the acting VC since Prof Wainaina was suspended. The new council is chaired by former University of Nairobi VC Crispus Kiamba.
The return of Prof Wainaina will mark yet another reversal of decisions made by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Indications that Prof Wainaina is in the good books of the Kenya Kwanza government started when last month President William Ruto appointed him to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms that has been collecting views from the public.
The suspended VC and the council had opposed the subdivision of the land, saying it was not in the best interest of the university.
According to a letter by former Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, KUTRRH which is a scion of the university but now operates as a parastatal was to get 180 acres, WHO 30 acres, ACDC 10 acres and Kamae squatters 190 acres.
The WHO plans to set up a Sh600 million emergency hub to cater for its regional operations. BY DAILY NATION