- Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya says Western Kenya has enough qualified professors to lead MMUST and Kibabii University.
- He argues that communities should have an opportunity to head institutions within their regions where qualified candidates are available.
- The governor says vice-chancellor appointments should also reflect fairness alongside merit.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has called for the appointment of qualified Luhya scholars to head Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) and Kibabii University, arguing that the region has produced enough professors capable of leading the two public institutions.
Speaking during a public gathering in Western Kenya, the governor said the Luhya community has invested heavily in education over the years and now has a large pool of distinguished professors and senior academics who meet the qualifications required to serve as vice-chancellors.
Natembeya said his appeal was not driven by tribal interests but by the need for fairness in public appointments.
He argued that communities should also have an opportunity to lead institutions located within their regions where qualified candidates are available.
The governor said if Luhya professionals were regularly appointed to head universities in other parts of the country, there would be little reason to oppose leaders from other communities taking charge of MMUST and Kibabii University.
According to him, opportunities for Luhya scholars to lead public universities outside Western Kenya have remained limited.
References Prof. Laban Ayiro
Natembeya cited the exit of Professor Laban Ayiro from Moi University in Uasin Gishu County as an example of what he termed unequal treatment of Luhya professionals seeking leadership positions in public universities.
He said the circumstances surrounding Prof. Ayiro’s departure reinforced the perception that scholars from the region have not been accorded equal opportunities to head institutions outside Western Kenya.
The governor maintained that Western Kenya has a rich pool of professors, researchers and education experts capable of steering the universities to greater academic excellence and should therefore be considered whenever vacancies arise.
Debate on university leadership
His remarks come amid renewed debate over leadership appointments in public universities, with stakeholders calling for greater transparency, merit-based recruitment and regional inclusivity in the selection of vice-chancellors.
The discussion has increasingly centred on how to balance academic merit with regional representation. While some leaders advocate appointments based solely on qualifications, others argue that all communities should have equitable opportunities to lead national institutions.
Under the Universities Act and other government regulations, vice-chancellors of public universities are appointed through a competitive recruitment process conducted by university councils. Candidates must meet the prescribed academic, professional and leadership qualifications before they can be considered for appointment.
Natembeya’s remarks are expected to generate further debate on university leadership, with supporters viewing his position as a call for equitable representation, while critics are likely to maintain that appointments should remain strictly merit-based regardless of regional or ethnic considerations.
By Jonathan Mwinzi
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