SEKU: Concerns over Kitui varsity operating without chancellor, VC and council chair

Following two weeks of student unrest in the South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), in Kitui, the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has served the Education Ministry with one month to address the leadership problem they say is derailing the institution's academic progress.

Addressing the media on Saturday, the UASU Kitui chapter secretary Mboya Kivai blamed the Education ministry is to blame for the ongoing chaos.

Students have picketed twice in the last two weeks over the lack of key leadership in the university.

SEKU has been operating without a chancellor, vice-chancellor and the council chair. According to Kivai, the absence of the three key leaders is occasioning several challenges while running the institution.

For instance, while the chancellor is mandated to confer degrees and diplomas for graduating students there is nobody to do so in the Kwa Vonza-based college.

“We want to tell the country that there is a serious problem of leadership in SEKU. Because of the absence of all these officers, staff are suffering,” said Mr Kivai.

The campus is set to have a graduation ceremony in October.

Additionally, the university workers have not been paid their annual salary increase for the last four years.

As such, UASU has urged the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to move in swiftly and address the matter for normalcy to return in the institution.