New Kenyatta University VC Faces Court Challenge Days After Appointment

Barely days after Professor John Okumu was confirmed as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University, his appointment has been challenged in court, plunging the institution into yet another leadership dispute.

The legal challenge has been filed by Professor Waceke Wanjohi, one of the candidates who applied for the position. She claims she was unlawfully excluded from the recruitment process and is seeking to have the appointment nullified.

Professor Okumu emerged as the top candidate in a recruitment process conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and was formally appointed as the university’s substantive Vice Chancellor after serving in an acting capacity since January. However, the transition has now been overshadowed by a court battle that threatens to prolong the leadership uncertainty at the institution.

Even as Professor Okumu officially assumed office, the Kenyatta University Council issued three disciplinary letters against Professor Wanjohi. One letter suspended her from her positions as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) and university professor, another required her to show cause over allegations including an alleged conflict of interest involving Nyma Hospital, which the university says provided medical services to the institution, while a third letter revoked her appointment as a trustee of the Kenyatta University Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme.

Her lawyer, Chris Mutuku, described the disciplinary action as a coordinated effort to undermine her.

“You can see clearly that this was a well-planned, well-orchestrated onslaught against the professor,” he said.

Professor Wanjohi, a scholar of Plant Pathology, served as the university’s acting Vice Chancellor for a cumulative 17 months before the recruitment process for the substantive position.

In documents filed before the Employment and Labour Relations Court, she has sued the Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Attorney General, the Public Service Commission, the Kenyatta University Council, and Professor John Okumu. She argues that she was unfairly locked out of the recruitment process and wants the court to quash the appointment.

According to documents filed in court, the Public Service Commission ranked Professor Okumu first after scoring 84.5 marks during the interviews. Six other candidates were also ranked based on their interview performance. However, Professor Wanjohi was not ranked after the commission concluded that she failed to meet one of the mandatory eligibility requirements for appointment as Vice Chancellor.

She is now contesting that finding in court.

“For us, all we want is justice, and what Professor Wanjohi seeks from the court and from the system is that the best candidate be appointed the Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University,” her lawyer said.

The High Court has directed all parties to file their responses and submissions within the prescribed timelines. The matter is scheduled for mention on October 5, 2026.

Meanwhile, Professor Okumu has expressed confidence that he will steer the university through its current challenges, including financial constraints and rising student enrolment.

“I know there are challenges in Kenyatta University, but with my team, the management, and the staff we have, I am very confident that we will make it,” he said.

Kenyatta University has experienced several leadership disputes in recent years. Former Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Wainaina also repeatedly sought court intervention during his tenure, making the latest legal challenge another chapter in the institution’s long-running succession battles.