The High Court has temporarily prohibited Kenyatta University from appointing a new Vice Chancellor due to a dispute surrounding the institution’s recent recruitment process.
Justice Njoki Mwangi issued the orders following an application filed by Professor Waceke Wanjohi, who serves as the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for Academic Affairs.
In her decision, Justice Mwangi instructed that the approved leave function as a temporary injunction preventing the respondents from filling the Vice Chancellor position or appointing anyone other than the applicant until the case is heard.
Wanjohi has initiated judicial review proceedings against the Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Attorney General, and the university council, contesting the management and results of interviews conducted in March 2026.
Court documents indicate that Wanjohi asserts she was the leading candidate in the competitive recruitment process but claims the responsible authorities have not implemented the interview panel’s recommendations.
She further argues that despite the panel recommending her appointment as Vice Chancellor, the respondents have not taken any steps to implement the decision or disclose the interview results, including candidates’ scores.
Instead, she alleges that the university council, working with the Public Service Commission, has commenced disciplinary proceedings against her, which she claims are efforts to undermine her candidacy.
Through her application, Wanjohi requests mandamus orders to compel the Education Cabinet Secretary to implement the panel’s recommendations and officially disclose the recruitment results. She also seeks orders preventing the appointment of any other candidate and stopping disciplinary actions against her.
Furthermore, she is requesting the court to nullify a decision from a letter dated April 16, 2026, that purportedly authorized the disciplinary proceedings.
Justice Mwangi also issued interim orders suspending all disciplinary proceedings against Wanjohi until the case is resolved.
The court instructed Wanjohi to file and serve the substantive motion within 14 days from April 23, 2026. The case will be mentioned on May 20, 2026.
In her submissions, Wanjohi contends that the actions taken against her infringe upon her constitutional right to a fair hearing as outlined in Article 50 of the Constitution.
She contends that without court intervention, the dispute may become obsolete, potentially making the case pointless if the position is filled before it is heard and decided.
This article was originally published by Radio47.