Bitange Ndemo rejects University of Nairobi VC appointment, cites flawed process
The falling-out highlights persistent governance challenges in Kenya's public universities, especially the University of Nairobi, where political influence, opaque procedures, and factional manoeuvring often cloud merit-based appointments.
In a rare act of public dissent within Kenya's academic and diplomatic circles, Prof Bitange Ndemo, Kenya's Ambassador to Belgium and a former ICT Permanent Secretary, has withdrawn from consideration for the Vice Chancellor’s position at the University of Nairobi (UoN), citing procedural irregularities.
In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Ndemo disclosed that he had been shortlisted as one of three finalists for the university's top job after interviews held on March 21, 2025.
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On May 5, he received a formal letter from the university council, signed by its chairman, Prof Amukowa Anangwe, appointing him as the next VC.
However, Ndemo flagged concerns over the legality and transparency of the appointment process, particularly the lack of official concurrence from the Ministry of Education, a statutory requirement under Kenyan law.
While Anangwe assured him that the documents had been submitted for ministerial approval, the diplomat remained unconvinced.
"The announcement triggered a flood of congratulatory messages on social media. However, I dissociate myself from this unprocedural process and have withdrawn my candidacy for the position," Ndemo wrote.
Interestingly, even as Ndemo questioned the legitimacy of the process, the university council had already initiated a transition plan.
A separate letter had appointed Prof Francis Mulaa, recently named Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), as acting VC until Ndemo's expected return from Brussels within six months.
Anangwe, in the memo copied to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, invoked a prior council resolution to justify the appointment.
"Prof Elijah Bitange Ndemo is in the process of handing over his current position as Kenya's Ambassador to Belgium... This is in exercise of the council authority granted to the undersigned," the letter reads.
The falling-out highlights persistent governance challenges in Kenya's public universities, especially the University of Nairobi, where political influence, opaque procedures, and factional manoeuvring often cloud merit-based appointments.
For a technocrat like Ndemo, who has built his reputation on institutional reform and digital governance, this episode marks a principled rejection of a position he was qualified for but unwilling to accept under a cloud.
Whether the Education Ministry steps in to resolve the process or rubber-stamps the council's earlier move remains to be seen.
For now, Kenya's premier public university is once again at the centre of a leadership vacuum and a credibility test.
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