By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
Suspended Kenyatta University vice chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina has been reinstated to his position following the settlement of a dispute that led to his suspension.
The VC was suspended on July 12, 2022 following a tiff between him and former president Uhuru Kenyatta over use of Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) land to set up a World Health Organization logistics hub — the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
Speaking during his homecoming party at the University’s Thika Road campus, Prof. Wainaina termed his return a “miracle”.
“To be alive today is a miracle. God used the new government to allow wrongs that had been done to be rectified,” the professor said.
He said the contentious piece of land is still intact and that the university has the title dead for the land which they have plans for.
“On 4th July bulldozers came at night and invaded our land. 140 acres were taken by government officials disguised as squatters. We won’t tolerate land grabbers,” he said.
He said the university will get back the KUTRRH land which was taken away from the institution four years after construction.
“We constructed the Hospital which was taken away from us. We want the hospital back. I’m sure that just like I have come back, we will get back the hospital,” the don said.
The former VC further emphasized that procedures should have been followed if the government wanted to take the public land.
The Government had allocated 30 acres of land committed Ksh.600 million towards the operationalization of the hub to facilitate the commencement of its operations. Kenya is among three countries in Africa selected by WHO to host a logistics hub that will support countries with emergencies in Eastern Africa.
Around 30 acres was to go to the WHO emergency hub, 10 acres was to be donated to the Africa Centres of Disease Control and 180 acres to KUTRRH.
Around 10,000 squatters were also to benefit from 190 acres though they already occupy the land illegally. The university land was to be reduced from 1,000 acres to 590acres.
