• Mbithi is expected to leave office in July 6 to proceed to terminal leave until January when a new VC will take over the university leadership, if he is not reappinted.
• UoN council on Wednesday rejected a bid by Prof Mbithi seeking direct reappointment.
University of Nairobi Deputy Vice Chancellor Isaac Mbeche is expected to take over the university management in acting capacity.
Prof Mbeche is currently in charge of academics and student affairs and is DVC finance, planning and development in acting capacity.
VC Peter Mbithi is expected to leave office in July 6 to proceed to terminal leave until January when a new VC will take over the university leadership, if his term is not renewed.
Yesterday University and Academic Staff Union leaders lauded the university council for rejecting a bid by Prof Mbithi seeking direct reappointment.
The union had written to the University of Nairobi council seeking to block the reappointment of Mbithi as vice chancellor.
The council, chaired by Julia Ojiambo, urged Mbithi to go on leave effective July 6 as the recruitment process gets started.
Through a letter on June 26, the council said an amendment to the Universities Act demands that appointment be based on a competitive process rather than through recommendation.
However, the council has given him the green light to apply for the job. Mbithi had written to the council on May 19 requesting them to consider appointing him for the second term.
The council assured Mbithi he will enjoy his benefits while on leave.
The UoN Council lauded Mbithi for his services, a thing largely disputed by the workers union.
"As a key stakeholder in the institution, we hereby register our opposition to the re-appointment. Academic staff have on numerous occasions expressed our dissatisfaction with the incompetence, inept performance, lack of effective leadership and general conduct of Mbithi as vice chancellor," UASU secretary general UoN chapter George Omondi told the Star yesterday.
Mbithi on May 19 sought the approval to get a second term. He listed the construction of the UoN Towers as one of his achievements.
But the union said the tower was commissioned and completed by former VC and now Education CS George Magoha.
"The tower was completed during Prof Magoha’s tenure and funds were secured by Prof Magoha. Prof Mbithi cannot therefore claim any credit for this as part of his infrastructural development," the letter reads.
Others include, commissioning of the Wangari Maathai Institute, the construction of the Confucius Institute and pushing the ranking of the university on a global platform.
"The facility - Confucius Institute –was initiated and completed during Magoha’s term. It is a project fully funded by the Chinese. The project is housed in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the key derives were Isaac Mbeche and George Magoha as evidenced in Memorandum of Agreement. Mbithi cannot therefore claim any credit for this as part of his infrastructural development," the letter reads.