The University Academic Staff Union is urging the government to speed up the appointment of new vice chancellors for the public universities, where the tenures for serving VCs have expired.
Uasu officials argue that the affected universities are facing managerial challenges because they are operating with acting VCs, who cannot make substantive decisions.
The union officials, led by Phillip Chebunet, slammed the government for delaying to name substantive VCs despite interviews having been concluded and names forwarded to the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.
Chebunet, who is the Uasu University of Eldoret chapter secretary general, said Machogu should conclude the appointment process because the universities were already in deep crisis and urgently require leadership.
He said the appointments should be done on merit to get those who will be able to help revive some of the universities, which are currently on their deathbed.
“What we want is just merit so that we get the right people who will guide the universities in a manner that will improve performance, including quality of courses offered,”Chebunet said.
The union, he said, was ready to work with the new VCs once they are appointed to ensure that all issues, including the welfare of Uasu members, are dealt with speedily.
At the University of Eldoret, the term of the VC Prof Teresia Akenga has come to an end after serving for 10 years.
The university council under the chairmanship of Dr Ismail Buro appointed Prof Wilson Ngetich as acting VC.
Ngetich has been serving at the university as deputy VC in charge of administration and finance.
Chebunet said some of the pending issues include implementation of the signed collective bargaining agreements and low funding from the exchequer.
The union official said they want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to carry out investigations in the financial status of universities, where the former VCs' terms had ended.
“Such an audit will ensure the new VCs take over leadership on a new slate with clear understanding of the status of the universities, especially as concerns finances," he said.
He said some of the former VCs messed up management of the institutions, hence there was need to address the mismanagement challenges as the new leaders take over.
Chebunet said they want Machogu to ensure adequate funding for the public universities so that they clear pending debts and operate effectively.