The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) has sounded an alarm over the decision by Education CS Fred Matiang’i to evacuate the University of Nairobi Kenya Science Campus (KSC) in favour of the Kenya Technical Teachers College.
In a letter seen by the Star, the commission said the directive by the CS contravenes requirements of the Fair Administrative Action Act, 2015.
Chairman Otiende Amollo said the relocation should only be done after consultations with all stakeholders, further stating that relocating the science training college will inconvenience its students.
"Relocating the campus would disrupt studies at the institution ... the school currently has two fully equipped laboratories which will also have to be surrendered," the Ombudsman states.
Amollo further explained that UoN would not be able to accommodate the 1,038 students from the campus, considering its overstretched population of 84,000 students.
He further observed that it would require Sh12 billion to build another institution to replace the KSC.
"UoN has a distinct legal entity and the transfers required lawful transfers through appropriate governing bodies," he said.
The commission further sought to get details on why the college was being moved and what will their previous land be used for.
The commission want the relocation stopped until the said issues are resolved. KSC was established in 1965 by Kenya working with Swedish government.
Through government negotiations, it was elevated to a constituent college of the University of Nairobi following recommendations by the Public Universities Inspection Board.
The college initially trained sciences and technical education (S1) teachers who were posted in secondary schools.