The Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology will remain without a substantive vice-chancellor for more time, Education CS George Magoha has said.
Magoha said the recruitment process has been halted until two court cases are heard and determined.
In the meantime, he'll extend the term of acting Vice-Chancellor Prof Solomon Shibairo whom he appointed in March.
“For now, by the grace of God, I have the powers to extend the term of the acting vice-chancellor. But as far as the substantive vice-chancellor is concerned, there is a legal process which must carry on,” he said.
Magoha visited the institution on Thursday morning to establish its preparedness to reopen after the coronavirus pandemic.
Prof Shibairo is the third acting VC at the univeristy in the last 18 months after Prof Joseph Bosire and Prof Asenath Sigot.
Two cases are pending at the Labour and Relations Court challenging the process of appointing substantive office holders by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Magoha said he's proposed changes to the Universities Act to empower the various councils to be the ones to conduct the interviews.
They would then forward the names for concurrence with the Ministry of Education.
The CS blamed the situation at Masinde Muliro on the community politics surrounding the university.
“This is a university and not a political party, and one of the best national universities, so who has told you it belongs to the community here?” he asked.
He added, “It doesn’t. The community here are hosts to the university and they will benefit through other things like employment of unskilled workers and some of their top skilled workers but as far as skilled workers are concerned all Kenyans are able to come and work here.”
