Cohesion team wants varsity heads shuffled

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) wants heads of public universities in the country reshuffled to give the institutions a national outlook.

Commission national chairman Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia said the composition of vice chancellors in universities and colleges did not reflect the Kenyan face because they have been appointed on ethnic considerations.

“Apart from the universities in Nairobi all the others are headed by people who come from the communities in which the institutions have been set up.

“If we are to detribalize this country and allow every qualified Kenyan to work anywhere in the country then our institutions of higher learning should be the starting point,” Dr Kibunjia said adding that the commission was pursuing the matter with the Ministry of Higher Education and Technology.

He was speaking at the Royal castle Hotel in Mombasa during a governance workshop where he presented a talk on practical strategies for ensuring a peaceful national referendum.

Dr Kibunjia said the current trend of recruiting vice-chancellors and college principals from the communities where they have been built was unfair and also encouraged nepotism in the public universities.

He said the law restricting employment of not more than 30 per cent in government institutions coming from one ethnic group was already in force.

But Dr Kibunjia said those who are already in employment will not be forced to resign adding that henceforth new appointments will be based on the new rule on the employment into the public service.

He said the commission will be carrying out audits on all government agencies to look at the employment patterns and take action against anyone who violated the law that is set to bring cohesion.

“This country needs a social re-engineering for people to accept that they are first Kenyans, but this will be enhanced further if historical injustices that have led to marginalization of other areas of the country are addressed.

“The establishment of the equalization fund as being proposed in the proposed constitution if passed would look at the well being of areas that have been marginalized,” Dr Kibunjia said.

Responding to a question from one of the participants on whether the commission had the capacity to carry out its mandate, he said they have formed a task force that has brought on board the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Public prosecution and other agencies to ensure that all cases reported are thoroughly investigated and action taken swiftly.

The chairlady for Maendeleo ya Wanawake, coast region Mrs Surea Hersi said cases of injustices and marginalization for which the region has been complaining about will be addressed if the proposed constitution was passed.

“We cannot change the situation under the current constitution because the various institutions charged with ensuring equitable distribution of resources such as land and employment do not have the powers.

“We have to accept change and we can only be part of that change if all of us come out on August 4 to vote 'Yes’ in the referendum because things will not be the same after that date,” she said.