The Presbyterian University of East Africa management plans to challenge the order by acting Education CS Fred Matiang’i to shut it.
The institution on Thursday was flagged for closure over Sh611 million staff arrears for two years.
In a closed meeting with staff and students, the Board of Governance said it would seek a court injunction to stop the Commission for University Education from revoking its licence.
The institution asked students to continue attending classes and ignore the CS’s directive. Sources told the Star that management tussles could have been the main reason leading to the fall of the institution.
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The university started by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in 2007 has experienced serious management problems. The church has been accused of meddling in the instittion’s financial management, leading to bad debts.
Sources within the institution’s top management said church leaders form the university’s board of management and hampering decision-making.
“The institution has set a requirement that one has to be a member of the PCEA if he is to be appointed to any leadership position. Those in the board are church elders and reverends who can sack the VC if he or she challenges their decisions,” the source said, speaking on
condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
incompetence cited
Another source said, “Students pay fees each year, but we don’t know where the money goes because lecturers have not been paid.”
Speaking to the Star on Friday, Presbyterian University Alumni Association chairperson Charity Kiambuthi defended the institution against claims of incompetence highlighted in the CUE report presented to Matiang’i.
“We should separate incompetency and mismanagement. The issue in this institution is mismanagement. We have quality career people who have left the institution and successfully manage other companies,” she said.
The CUE report said the institution had failed to give the academic qualifications of some staff.
On Friday, union officials who visited the institution failed to get access.
The CUE report presented to Matiang’i on January 23 put an alert on operations of three universities — the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, the Kenya Methodist University and Presbyterian University of East Africa.
CUE says it will look for alternative equivalent placement for students. In 2017-18,1,032 students were enrolled in degree programmes, 359 in others.
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