An embattled vice chancellor who was suspended by Kenyatta University for refusing to turn over land to the State for a government project has been ordered by a court to be reinstated.
Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua instructed Prof. Paul Wainaina in two letters dated July 4 and July 7 to give up the title for Kenyatta University LR No. 1102/26 so that the Ministry of Lands and Planning could seize some of the land as ordered by the Cabinet.
Prof. Wainaina, however, refused; as a result, he was suspended, and the university council was disbanded.
By requesting that the Employment and Labour Relations Court suspend the enforcement of Mr. Kinyua’s directives, Prof. Wainaina sought to avoid being fired. He claimed that the university council alone had the authority to remove a vice-chancellor from office.
“The Head of Public Service continues to act in a manner that completely flouts the provisions of law on the rights of the applicant and continues to breach his rights to fair labour practices,” Mr Hosea told the court.
“An injustice has been [perpetrated] upon the applicant herein and this honourable court should remedy the said injustice by the Head of Public Service by urgently staying the impugned suspension.”
“Pending the hearing and determination of this application inter-parties, this honourable court is pleased to issue a temporary order suspending the implementation of the decision contained in the letter dated July 12 by Professor Crispus Kiamba in toto suspending, terminating and/or dismissing the petitioner from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, rendering his position vacant and/or revoking his salary,” he ruled.
