The University of Nairobi (UoN) Council has outlined radical reforms including the abolishment of offices, merger of functions and creation of new functions.
The Chairperson of university Council, Professor Julia Ojiambo announced various changes Friday, a move that is seen to cut down on expenditure at the facility.
“Some of the abolished positions are five Offices of the Deputy Vice-chancellors replaced by two positions of Associate Vice-chancellors,” said Prof. Ojiambo.
All positions of Principals and Deputy Principals have also been abolished and their roles reorganized under new positions of Executive and Associate Deans to align resources to the faculties where teaching and learning take place.
“14 research institutes including KAVI, Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies (WMI), Institute of Development Studies (IDS) have been retained to continue generating knowledge for transformation of communities,” she added.
The university has also abolished all colleges and reorganized all functions around faculties which have been reduced to 11 to avoid duplication and functional overreach.
IMF loan conditions
When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the Ksh.255 billion credit facility to Kenya in April, it came with conditions that the Kenyan Government had to meet.
Among the conditions were that Kenya had to restructure nine state-owned corporations as commitment to access the loan.
Among the parastatals the IMF listed include national carrier, Kenya Airways(KQ), Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
Other parastatals include the three largest public universities namely the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University and Moi University.
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But according to Prof. Ojiambo, the new move at the campus has been 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.
Kenyans are now serving at the mercy of almost a quarter trillion loan facility from the IMF following unprecedented reforms at the facility as hundreds of workers at the Kenya’s biggest university are staring at massive lay off.
In her conclusion, Prof. Ojiambo said “the University of Nairobi and the country by extension, can only look forward to better times.”
