Ex-Masinde Muliro University VC Fredrick Otieno dies in Eldoret

Ex-Masinde Muliro University VC Fredrick Otieno has died.

According to family, Otieno succumbed to stroke at a hospital in Eldoret on Tuesday morning.

He had admitted to at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Tophill hospital a few days earlier.

Reports indicate that Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya is among leaders who visited him at the hospital on Sunday.

His tenure at Masinde Muliro University was tainted with claims of corruption and he exited after only one term in office.

A report in the Daily Nation in December last year said officials from the institution’s chapter of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) had pushed for his removal.

They reportedly wanted the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission to investigate Prof. Otieno.

However, on Tuesday, the deceased’s lawyer Martin Oloo chastised critics and instead blamed them for allegedly ‘hounding’ his client.

“Those who know his battles with some Council members of Masinde Muliro including one member born in Western, and some staff of Masinde Muliro know how he was unfairly hounded out of office,” the lawyer said.

The advocate maintained that the late Prof. Otieno had been accused unfairly leading to investigations by EACC.

He further lamented that the former VC was harassed with no charges being preferred, convicted in the court of the public, without being given a chance to defend himself.

“For over a year he had no income. As a full Professor of the university his salary was stopped without justification, let alone the fact that his contract as a VC, which had a renewal clause terminated unfairly,” the lawyer added.