Education Julius Ogamba on Wednesday inaugurated the new Moi University council and tasked the team to save the institution from collapse.
Ogamba said the government had taken deliberate a move to restore order and normal running of the university which had lost its past glory as a key institution of higher learning.
He said the university had plunged into despondency due to governance issues.
“Our presence here is a deliberate government move to restore the lost glory of this university as an academic giant," Ogamba said.
The new council will be chaired by Noah Midamba. Four new members of the council include Ronald Wasike, Mercy Nyambura Kanyara, Edward Sambili and Ann Waceke Makori.
Last week Ogamba through a Gazette Notice dated January 17th, 2025 revoked the appointments of Njoroge and those who have been serving as council members including Sarah Samiji Momanyi, Christopher Khaemba, Eusila Ngenyi and Susan Amlango Aletia.
“The new appointments take effect from January 17th, 2025," Ogamba said in the Gazette Notice.
Speaking during the inauguration, CS Ogamba cautioned the new council that steering the institution to its desired glory will not be a bed of roses.
“You must steer this great university towards great heights ensuring that it discharges its mandate as an institution of higher learning contributing to the country’s growth," Ogamba said.
He thanked the outgoing council for the contribution it had made to the university.
Ogamba said going forward the government would keenly oversight management at the public universities and would no longer tolerate laxity in the running of the institutions.
The CS said the government was determined to make painful decisions that would help spur development of the universities.
“We demand of our university councils to ensure good governance and design the trajectory of growth for the universities,” Ogamba said.
He said the councils must help maintain quality education and also respond to changing job markets and the global economy.
Ogamba called on the universities to reform their curriculums to suit other demands and changes globally.
The CS said the welfare of staff at universities must be given top priority to avoid frequent disruptions at the universities.
CS Ogamba said the government was in the process of streamlining the new funding model for university education which had however been halted by a court order.
He said discussions were underway to ensure students who had not received their money would get it soon.
PS for Higher Education Beatrice Inyangala said students were a central interest at the university and the government was aware of the challenges they had gone through as the institution faces problems.
“With the new council, I assure the students that the future is bright and your dreams are valid,” Inyangala said.
Inyangala said the new council and the government will ensure full implementation of the return to work formula for the workers who were on strike for much of last year.
The PS urged the new council to reposition the university as a centre of academic excellence including research and innovation.
She said the government had a clear recovery and sustainability strategy for the university.
On his part, Midamba said his new council would immediately embark on working to transform the university.
The changes come amid an ongoing financial crisis at the university where Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Kosgey and four of the fired council members are being investigated by the EACC over allegations of corruption.
The university has debts amounting to over sh 10 Billion and just two days ago the government released sh 500 million to pay lecturers and other workers who had gone on strike.
Vice Chancellor Professor Isaac Kosgey was also present during the inauguration.
