KU vice chancellor weeps after Uhuru lecture on land row

Kenyatta University Vice-Chancellor Paul Wanaina on Tuesday could not hold back his tears while addressing the university staff over a land row.

In a meeting that he convened to address a land row pitting them and  President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration laid bare his frustrations.

His address follows a directive by the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua that instructed the university to surrender nearly half of its land.

Wanaina read three letters from Kinyua, all sent last week, directing the university to surrender the title deeds by close of business Monday, July 11.

The VC revealed that the State has asked them to cede 410 acres but they refused

“This is probably the last time I am talking to you as VC. I understand a new council is being formed,” he said amid tears.

After his speech, he wept and was led outside the university amphitheatre after the meeting ended. He, however, did not resign.

The land matter has been a subject of a row between the State and university after the institution refused to hand over the land.

President Uhuru on Saturday promised to take stern action against the university officials for refusing to hand over the land.

While launching the World Health Organization emergency hub that will be set at the university, Uhuru blasted a group of university officials, he did not mention by name, saying he will go home with them.

"Bado nimebaki na wiki tatu (I am left with only three weeks), we shall deal with those individuals swiftly and effectively.  Tutaenda nyumbani nao (We will go home with them). We can't have people operating as individuals, we operate on behalf of the people. We operate on behalf of the global community which we are part of," Uhuru said while weighing on the land row.

According to the letters from Kinyua, 30 acres will go to the WHO emergency hub while some will be donated to squatters.

Another 10 acres will be donated to the Africa Centres for Disease Control.

Kinyua said 180 acres will go to the neighbouring Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospital, which already sits on 100 acres donated by the university ten years ago.

Another 190 acres will now be given to the 10,000 squatters who already occupy the land illegally. 

This now reduces the university land from 1,000 acres to 590.

Prof Wainaina, a former primary school teacher, joined the university in 2005 as a member, of the academic board, School of Education.

He became acting VC in 2016 and was confirmed as the substantive Vice-Chancellor in 2018.