The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi has temporarily halted the recruitment of a Vice‑Chancellor for Maseno University following a petition by Professor Mary Abukutsa Onyango, who claims her application was unfairly disregarded.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Jacob Gakeri, the court granted the professor leave to pursue judicial review orders against the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Maseno University, allowing her case to proceed to full hearing.
“The court is satisfied that the Applicant has an arguable case in the first instance and the application for leave is merited,” Justice Gakeri said.
Professor Abukutsa‑Onyango moved to court under a certificate of urgency, seeking to quash the recruitment process and halt interviews, shortlisting, and any final appointment until her case is determined. She argued that she had duly applied for the position but was excluded from the shortlist under unclear circumstances.
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Through her lawyer, she told the court that she submitted applications for Vice‑Chancellor positions at Maseno University, the University of Nairobi, and Kenyatta University before the January 9, 2026 deadline. While her applications to the other two institutions were acknowledged, she claimed Maseno University ignored hers. She added that she had lodged complaints with the PSC and the Ombudsman but received no timely responses.
The PSC, however, disputed her claims. CEO Paul Famba said there was no record of her application for the Maseno post, arguing that the documents she presented were unclear and unreliable.
“The evidence availed by the Applicant to show that her application was illegible and difficult to make any conclusion,” the commission stated in its response, insisting that the recruitment process had already been concluded and the matter overtaken by events.
Despite the PSC’s position, the court held that key questions remained unresolved, particularly regarding the alleged submission and handling of the application.
By Masaki Enock
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