Kemu leadership crisis deepens as council member resigns

KeMU Hub in Nairobi. A council member, Dr Fred Mugambi, resigned in a letter dated September 16, 2018, alleging endless frustrations from the Church and the Board of Trustees. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Last year, the university’s accounts were briefly frozen by KRA over Sh400 million tax arrears before the management offered to sell part of its property to settle the debt.

  • Last week, the university is said to have received a warning letter from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over unpaid taxes close to Sh380 million.

  • The VC has to report sometimes to four people on virtually all issues including the council, two warring factions of the BoT and the Chancellor who occupies both executive and non-executive position

The crisis at the Kenya Methodist University deepened over the weekend after one of the council members resigned alleging endless frustrations from the Church and the Board of Trustees.

In a letter seen by the Nation, Dr Fred Mugambi, who has served in the council for one and half years, said efforts by the council to reverse problems facing Kemu have met several road blocks.

REMOVE BISHOP

Speaking to the Nation, Dr Mugambi confirmed that he had resigned in the letter dated September 16, 2018.

“I can confirm that I have tendered my resignation but I am not willing to discuss the details,” he said.

His resignation comes even as calls for the removal of Methodist Church Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura, who is also the Kemu chancellor, intensified.

Bishop Ntombura has been accused of interfering with the management of the university.

Last week, the university is said to have received a warning letter from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over unpaid taxes close to Sh380 million.

Last year, the university’s accounts were briefly frozen by KRA over Sh400 million tax arrears before the management offered to sell part of its property to settle the debt.

RESCUE UNIVERSITY

In his letter, Dr Mugambi said he joined Kemu last year to rescue the university from poor governance and poor financial management but the council has been rendered ineffective.

“In my opinion, the current chairman and the entire council have shown selflessness and professionalism in their work, often putting their reputations at great risk to save the university.

“Sadly, at every turn, the council has had to contend with road blocks which were often engineered to pull back any gains that were made. These range from divisions in the Board of Trustees which meant that none of the key council decisions like sale of property to offset debts could be effected,” stated the former council member.

He said the Vice Chancellor has difficulties running the university due to warring factions in the Board of Trustees (BoT).

“The VC has had to report sometimes to four people on virtually all issues including the council, the two warring factions of the BoT and the Chancellor who occupies both executive and non-executive position. As a result, the Vice Chancellor cannot effectively make decisions neither can the council effectively govern the university,” reads part of the letter.

WARRING FACTIONS

Dr Mugambi said the council’s decision to dispose part of the university’s property to settle debts last year was scuttled by the two warring factions in the BoT.

This has led to the piling up of debt resulting to the recent confiscation of property by auctioneers over Sh42 million owed to sacked workers.

“As things stand now, the two factions of the BoT are forcing key decisions in the university, clearly sidestepping the council. I have kept hoping that the wrangles within the BoT would end and that governance would improve.

“This has not happened and there is no indication that it will happen soon. I therefore do not find it morally right to continue sitting in council meetings that have no effect on the recovery of the university. I have now taken a personal and painful decision to leave the council,” he said.

Dr Mugambi now recommends that the university takes four mandatory steps within six months, failure to which Kemu may be irredeemable.

RECOMMENDATIONS

He advises the Church to immediately appoint a chancellor who is not a presiding bishop to end conflict of interest, appointment of a ‘clean’ BoT, the church and BoT to desist meddling with the management of the university and the urgent sale of property worth Sh1.3 billion to pay outstanding debts.

The sentiments come even after Kemu’s deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of finance and administration, Prof David Gichoya, assured that the university was financially sound.