The High Court has stopped the University of Nairobi (UoN) from effecting restructuring changes.
This is after the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) moved to court to oppose the changes, which saw various positions and offices at the campus scraped.
Court decision comes two days after Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha Magoha warned the management of public universities against arbitrary reforms without consulting relevant government bodies.
While acknowledging that universities urgently require reforms for Kenyans to get value for their money, Magoha said the restructuring must follow due process.
Magoha said he has not delegated the mandate of reforming institutions of higher learning to university councils nor Vice Chancellors.
Early this month, UoN announced unprecedented radical reforms including the abolishment of offices, merger of functions and creation of others.
The university abolished five offices of the Deputy Vice Chancellors and replaced them by two positions of associate Vice Chancellors.
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The university also abolished all colleges and reorganized all functions around faculties which have been reduced to 11 to avoid duplication and functional overreach.
The Chairperson of University Council, Professor Julia Ojiambo announced various changes on July 9 to cut down on expenditure at the facility.
Prof. Ojiambo also said the move was informed by the centrality of teaching, research and innovations functions at the core of the university’s mandate.
“To keep the boat afloat, the administrative support services will be consolidated under various functions and respective professional heads all reporting to a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who directly answers to the Vice- chancellor,” said Prof. Ojiambo.
She said a robust Information Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure alongside requisite investments, reinvestments, improvements and facility development aspirations under University Advancement will be deemed critical components for delivery of teaching, research and innovation going forward.
“As a Council, we confirm that the exercise of implementing these and other reforms will endeavour to avoid unnecessary disruptions in service delivery and optimal deployment of resources available to the University.
