• Amid the confusion, Kiama has since been performing his official duties despite having not exhausted 161 of his 180 days.
• But in a letter dated September 22, the council told Kiama that he is deemed to be still on leave and should not discharge duties of his office effective September 25.
Image: UoNVC/ X
University of Nairobi vice chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama has been directed by the university council to resume his six-month leave, which he abruptly cut short and resumed office.
On July 7, the council approved Kiama's request to proceed on a six-month leave with effect from August 1, 2023 and deputy VC in charge of Academics Julius Ogeng'o picked the acting VC.
Kiama, however, cut his leave short and resumed duty on September 1.
He announced his return on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, saying, "Well rested and rejuvenated".
Amid the confusion, Kiama has since been performing his official duties despite having not exhausted 161 of his 180 days.
But in a letter dated September 22, the council told Kiama that he is deemed to be still on leave and should not discharge duties of his office effective September 25.
The council said its resolution to grant him leave has not been vacated.
"Your letter referenced under the rubric, "notice of resumption of duty", that was addressed and delivered to the chair of the council September 1, 2023 at about 5pm, when you had already spent the day visiting campuses and discharging duties in the vice chancellor's office without prior variation/cancellation of your six-month leave by the council was unprocedural, untenable and not acceptable to the council," UoN Council chairperson Prof Amukowa Anangwe said.
On the day he resumed office, Kiama addressed the entire university fraternity in an event streamed on YouTube.
The VC apprised learners on the reporting dates for the 2023-24 academic year.
"All freshers who have been admitted to UoN will report to their respective campuses and faculties on Monday, September 25, 2023. All continuing students will commence their first semester classes on October 9, 2023," Kiama said.
The council reminded the VC that Head of Public Service Felix Koskei issued a directive on September 21 requiring all public service officers with accumulated leave days to proceed on leave.
Koskei said by June 30, 2024, only 15 leave days will be carried forward.
"Secondly, there's no commutation of leave days for money, we cannot pay for corruption and inefficiency," Koskei said during a consultative meeting with ministries, departments and agencies at the Kenya School of Government.
"This directive inevitably conflates with the council resolution of July 31, 2023 and whose concurrent effect is to require you to comply with both until your accumulated leave of 161 days is accumulated leave is exhausted," the council said.
When applying for leave, Kiama said a busy schedule he had prevented him from taking a break since he assumed office on January 20, 2020.
He applied for the six-month leave to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission on July 18, 2023, saying he needed to exhaust all his leave days before the lapse of his contract in 2025.
On August 7, the University of Nairobi Students Association protested his leave and urged the council to recall him back.
The student body argued that the approval of his leave was "wrong and untimely" as no sufficient information was given to the students about the decision for the sabbatical.
"The university is readying itself for two graduation ceremonies, resumption from recess, admission of the first year class of 2023 and the implementation of the New Universities Funding Model and hence the leave the VC took was untimely," the students said.