Deputy President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza allies have criticized President Uhuru Kenyatta for mistaking Kenyatta University for his father’s personal property.
This is after Uhuru ordered KU to surrender part of the vast land to World Health Organisation (WHO) to establish a regional operations center and logistics hub.
Equally, Uhuru wants part of the land to be used for the construction of the Africa Centres for Disease Control while the remainder to be used to resettle Kamae squatters.
The order by Uhuru was widely rejected by KU leading to the sacking of Vice Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina.
Speaking yesterday, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula warned Uhuru against interfering with the running and management of Kenyatta University.
The Ford Kenya party leader accused the First in Command of influencing the dismissal of Paul Wainaina.
Wetang’ula reminded the president that the fact that Kenyatta University bears his father’s name does not make it a personal entity.
” President (Uhuru)… I want to advise you; the fact that Kenyatta University bears your family name does not make the institution your family affair,” Wetang’ula said.
He said Kenyatta University is established under an act of parliament with the senate and a council and therefore President Uhuru does not have Constitutional powers to interfere with the running of the University.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance co-principal promised that if they take power in the August 9, General Election, they will reinstate Wainaina as the VC.
“… And I want to assure the management of Kenyatta University that after 9 of August, former vice chancellor Wainaina who has been dismissed by President Uhuru will be reinstated,” he said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, who warned Kenyans to avoid naming institutions after individuals as some mistake it for their personal property.
“Going forward let’s not name public institutions after someone’s father, he or she will confuse it with family inheritance,” Murkomen said in a Tweet.
