Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula has warned President Uhuru Kenyatta against interfering with the running and management of Kenyatta University.
Speaking during a Kenya kwanza Alliance rally in Kiambu County on Friday, July 15, Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula accused the First in Command of influencing the dismissal of Paul Wainaina.
Wetang’ula reminded the Jubilee party leader that the fact that Kenyatta University bears his name does not make it a personal entity.
” President (Uhuru)… I want to advise you; the fact that Kenyatta University bears your family name does not make the institution your family affair,” Wetang’ula said.
He said Kenyatta University is established under an act of parliament with the senate and a council therefore President Uhuru does not have Constitutional powers to interfere with the running of the University.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance co-principal promised that their government that would be formed after the August 9, General Election will reinstate Wainaina as the VC.
“… And I want to assure the management of Kenyatta University that after 9 of August, former vice chancellor Wainaina who has been dismissed by President Uhuru will be reinstated,” he said.
On Tuesday, July 13, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen also weighed in on the matter saying Kenya should avoid naming institutions after individuals as some mistake it for their personal property.
It is worth noting that Kenyatta University is named after President Uhuru’s father and Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta.
“Going forward let’s not name public institutions after someone’s father, he or she will confuse it with family inheritance,” Murkomen said in a Tweet.
On Monday, July 11, 2022 president Uhuru appeared agitated after Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Paul Wainaina declined to surrender part of Kenyatta University’s land to World Health Organisation.
The Head of State was rooting for 30 acres of land to be given to the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish a regional operations center and logistics hub.
Ten (10) acres on the other hand were to be given to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention while 180 acres of land is to be given to the Kenyatta University, Teaching, Referral, and Research Hospital.
The resettlement of Kamae squatters would take up 190 acres of Kenyatta University land.
