Connect with us

News

Court freezes appointment of KU Vice Chancellor

Published

on

The High Court has barred Kenyatta University from appointing a new Vice Chancellor following a contested leadership process at the institution.

The orders were issued following an urgent application by Professor Waceke Wanjohi, the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, contesting the handling and outcome of the Vice Chancellor recruitment process.

“That the leave hereby granted shall operate as a temporary injunction barring the respondents… from filling the position of Vice Chancellor, Kenyatta University, or appointing any other person than the applicant,” Justice Njoki Mwangi ordered.

The professor initiated judicial review proceedings against the Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Attorney General, and the university council.

Court records show that she is challenging the outcome and handling of interviews conducted in March 2026 for the Vice Chancellor position.

She claims that she emerged the top candidate following a competitive recruitment process but alleges that the relevant authorities have failed to act on the interview panel’s recommendations.

“The interviewing panel recommended the appointment of the applicant (Waceke) as Vice Chancellor, Kenyatta University, but this notwithstanding the Applicant is unaware of any steps taken by the 1st, 3rd or 4th Respondents to act upon the said recommendation,” her court papers state.

Instead, she claims that the university council and the Public Service Commission initiated disciplinary proceedings against her, a move she says risks derailing her candidacy.

In her case, Wanjohi is seeking orders of mandamus to compel the Education Cabinet Secretary to implement the panel’s recommendations and release the interview results, including candidates’ scores.

She also wants the court to prohibit the appointment of any other candidate and halt disciplinary proceedings against her.

She further seeks to quash a decision contained in a letter dated April 16, 2026, allegedly authorising disciplinary action. Justice Mwangi’s interim orders also suspended any disciplinary proceedings against Wanjohi.

“THAT the leave hereby granted shall operate as a stay of any and all Disciplinary Proceedings… pending the hearing and determination of these proceedings,” the judge directed.

The court gave Wanjohi 14 days from April 23, 2026, to file and serve the substantive motion and set the matter for mention on May 20, 2026. In her filings, Wanjohi argues that the actions taken against her violate her constitutional right to a fair hearing under Article 50.

“Every person has the right to have any dispute that can be resolved by the application of law decided in a fair and public hearing before a court or, if appropriate, another independent and impartial tribunal or body,” she states, citing the Constitution.

She warns that unless the court intervenes, the dispute risks being rendered academic.

“If the Applicant is unfairly shut out of the position, the substance of this dispute… will be permanently alienated… rendering these proceedings nugatory,” the application adds.

The ruling effectively freezes the succession process at the university, leaving the top leadership position in limbo until the dispute is resolved-STAR.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

Published

on

The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

Continue Reading

News

Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

Published

on

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

Continue Reading

News

ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

Published

on

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

Continue Reading

Trending