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Lecturers at the University of Nairobi have called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to expedite investigations into cases of rampant graft at the institution.
The university dons claim the current situation the giant institution of higher learning has found itself in has all to do with wanton corruption among top management under the watch of Vice Chancellor Prof Peter Mbithi.
Prof. Mbithi
Speaking to Weekly Citizen investigative team, the varsity staff revealed Prof Mbithi and his cronies had pocketed investigators at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), leaving weighty dossiers forwarded to the anti-graft agency to gather dust.
The concerned staff now want investigations initiated in tender awards, budget for the renovation of the university’s estates, allowances, imprest and promotions.
Equally of interest are renovation works and furnishings done on the VC’s residence next to Kileleshwa Police Station.
“For years, Weekly Citizen has been exposing bloated malpractices at the UoN; the same attributes now being captured by Auditor General Edward Ouko,” said our source adding: “We thank your investigative team for having exposed and boxed the auditor-general into the corner to stop protection games.”
Sources also revealed that the recently appointed Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha had left the institution in sound financial health but is now in the red. Prof Magoha served as UoN VC before Prof Mbithi took over from him.
Details have emerged on how the management compromised the University Council under the leadership of Prof Julia Ojiambo, the current chairperson.
In fact, former solicitor-general Wanjuki Muchemi is said to have resigned as a member of the council due to its bias in addressing real problems at the UoN.
Prof. Ojiambo
The auditor general on Monday revealed that the UoN – alongside Kenyatta University and Multimedia University – was drowning in debt and had been rendered technically insolvent.
The three institutions of higher learning, said Ouko, were now operating on bank overdrafts and had failed to remit billions in workers’ statutory deductions including sacco deductions, NHIF and NSSF.
With a cumulative debt of Sh1.4 billion UoN is second only to KU that reported the highest debt at Sh3.4 billion, compared to Multimedia’s Sh700 million as at June 2018.
As if that is not enough, varsity workers are now staring at financial penalties given the institutions had spent their statutory deductions.
More specifically, the UoN was unable to remit Sh2 billion in workers’ deductions. The university also failed to remit Sh283 million PAYE deductions, NSSF (Sh3.4 million) and NHIF (Sh10.8 million).
UoN also chewed Sh1.5 billion pension contributions, Sacco deductions (Sh204 million) and HELB (Sh828 million).
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