Prof Paul Wainaina exits as KU VC

Prof Paul Kuria Wainaina is set to exit office as Vice-Chancellor of Kenyatta University, closing a tenure marked by institutional stability in its early years and intense political turbulence toward the end.

Having served two terms, Prof Wainaina’s departure comes after a prolonged struggle to defend the university’s autonomy during a period of heightened political pressure. While his first term passed with minimal disruption, his final years were defined by a bitter land dispute that pitted the university against the government of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The standoff erupted in July 2022 when the government “requested” Kenyatta University to cede 410 acres of land for several national projects.

University land saga

The parcels were to be allocated to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a Sh600 million Regional Emergency Hub, the resettlement of 10,000 Kamae squatters, expansion of Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control.

Prof Wainaina, together with the university council, declined to comply, arguing that the request was unlawful. The refusal triggered swift retaliation, including the dissolution of the council and the suspension of the VC following the appointment of a new governing team.

“To ask me to do that, even when the council could not, was illegal. Complying would have been wrong. As a consequence, the council and I were punished,” Prof Wainaina said, recalling events of July 12, 2022.

He said officials convened a boardroom meeting without his knowledge, where then Principal Secretary Simon Nabukhwesi accused him of insubordination and demanded his removal. “I told him they could write the letter if they wanted me to leave, and I would obey,” he said.

Dismissal, court fight and return

On August 5, 2022, a memo announced Prof Wainaina’s dismissal and the appointment of Prof Waceke Wanjohi as acting VC. He immediately moved to court, arguing that only the university council had authority over his employment.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court suspended the dismissal on July 27, 2022, barring the declaration of the VC position as vacant. Following the August 9, 2022 General Election and change of administration, Prof Wainaina was reinstated in November.

The new government later allocated 30 acres to WHO in September 2023, committing Sh741 million to the project, after an earlier excision of 180 acres for the university hospital, now a standalone parastatal.

Final stretch and legacy

In a dramatic twist, the KU Council later sent Prof Wainaina on compulsory leave, once again appointing Prof Wanjohi as acting VC. On April 30, 2025, the court ruled the action unlawful and ordered his reinstatement to complete his term, which ends on January 26, 2026. He will return to teaching duties until retirement in June 2026.

The land dispute persisted even as he prepared to exit office. Last month, a court dismissed a petition challenging the government’s land plans, affirming KU’s ownership while recognising the State’s right to repossess land for national importance.

Prof Wainaina said only about 670 original Kamae squatter families settled during the Moi era were legitimate beneficiaries. “Some people calling themselves squatters are building skyscrapers,” he said, adding that genuine occupants could easily be identified.

As he prepares to leave office, Prof Wainaina says his tenure will be remembered for standing firm on institutional autonomy while navigating one of the most turbulent periods in the university’s history.