Outgoing KU Council Chair Ben Chumo./FILEDr. Ben Chumo has confirmed his resignation as the chair of the Kenyatta University Council, following reports that he submitted his resignation on Monday to Education Cabinet Secretary Dr. Julius Ogamba.
Sources within the university had indicated that his decision followed pressure from the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU). However, Dr. Chumo dismissed this view, saying the union played no role in his departure.
“Contrary to claims, I did not resign because of union pressure—nothing could be further from the truth. I have faced far greater pressures leading large organisations. My resignation is a matter of principle: if the ministry has no faith in me, then they should find someone else to run the process,” Dr Chumo told the Star.
Dr Chumo added that in his view, certain individuals might have been using the union to push a narrative that did not reflect the actual situation.
“The union’s statement appears to be an attempt to trivialise an important process and make themselves appear to be a mouthpiece. Someone is using the union to assign blame, perhaps even to make it look like they pushed me out. I have worked with unions my entire career. At KPLC, I managed more than 30,000 employees with a very strong union. No union has ever pressured me out of any position.”
Dr. Chumo said that last week he received a call from senior government officials informing him that he had been instructed to attend a council meeting—something he interpreted as a sign of mistrust from the Ministry of Education.
“Ordinarily, the Ministry of Education only participates through concurrence, not by attending Council meetings. When a top figure in the ministry attends a meeting, the message is clear: the ministry has lost faith in the Council and, therefore, in the chair. If the ministry has no faith in me, then what purpose do I serve? I have hired many CEOs, and I understand these processes well. When the ministry steps into Council meetings, the Council becomes irrelevant. That is my professional view. I am not against anyone; I am against a compromised process,” he said.
According to Dr. Chumo, his main concern was the integrity of the recruitment process.
“The biggest issue here is the process. When you interfere with the process, the outcome becomes compromised. Things do not go wrong—they start wrong. When the ministry stepped into our Council room, that signalled the wrong start. That is why I chose to step aside.”
KUSU had earlier raised concerns about what it described as delays in recruiting a substantive Vice-Chancellor. Dr. Chumo rejected this, saying there was no delay in the process.“Regarding the concerns about delays, there are none. The current Vice Chancellor is retiring toward the end of January, so there is still time. It would have been ideal for the outgoing VC to hand over to the incoming one, but there is no rush to stampede the process.”
His resignation came ahead of a full Council meeting that had been scheduled to discuss criteria for hiring a new Vice-Chancellor. Prof. Paul Wainaina is expected to retire in late January 2026, making the succession an important part of the university’s planning.
The recruitment process has drawn public attention several times. On Monday, November 17, a petition was filed in the Employment and Labour Relations Court seeking to bar Prof. Wainaina from participating in the hiring of his successor.
The petition, filed by Lawrence Omondi Chero, alleges that the Vice-Chancellor is attempting to influence the process as his term draws to a close.
According to the petition, Prof. Wainaina’s continued involvement in setting or influencing selection criteria is said to undermine the recruitment process. Dr. Chumo has previously stated that the recruitment function falls under the Public Service Commission and the Council, not the Vice-Chancellor’s office.
The Commission and the Council had advertised the position, a move Prof. Wainaina challenged in court, arguing that the recruitment was initiated in violation of court orders and contractual terms.
In a letter dated November 11, 2025, KUSU KU Branch Secretary Isaac P. Lokeris accused Dr. Chumo of failing to respond to union correspondence and not providing updates on the recruitment exercise.
The union cited what it described as a continued lack of communication and unwillingness to engage. Responding to this, Dr. Chumo maintained that the union had no legal mandate in the recruitment. “For the record, the union is a complete stranger to this process. I am a human resource professional myself, and no union can purport to hire its boss. In any organisation, unionisable employees do not hire their CEO. The same applies at the university… the union has no role whatsoever now.”
Sources said Dr. Chumo resigned shortly before the council meeting convened to discuss the recruitment criteria. The council is expected to continue with the remaining steps, including finalising criteria, reviewing applications, and forwarding recommendations to the appointing authorities.
Union officials welcomed the resignation, describing it as a chance for a smooth transition. KUSU reiterated that it remains committed to supporting governance and ensuring the recruitment is completed promptly and in accordance with Senate-approved procedures.
In his parting remarks, Dr. Chumo said he was proud of the Council’s achievements during his tenure.
“I am proud of my Council. Under my leadership, Kenyatta University became the number one university in Kenya for two consecutive years, ahead of the University of Nairobi. We admitted over 10,000 first-year students this year alone and now have over 72,000 students—the largest in the country." Dr Chumo said.
"We promoted the highest number of professors and staff because we believed that improving the people improves the institution. These are facts. I am not a poor performer; I have always delivered results.”
