‘If You Cannot Manage Nairobi University,Go Manage Sabina Joy!!’ Controversial SONU President Babu Owino Blasts UoN Vice Chancellor. It’s Getting Nasty….Damn!

 Things in Kenya’s premier University’s management are getting thick. And to further cloud matters,Babu Owino,the indefatigable vocabulary-dropping student firebrand leader,has joined the fray. And it’s about to go down…

Reports,first publicized by The Standard,indicate that there is a nasty power tussle among the leaders of UoN. And it’s threatening to derail the progress and smooth running of the Most Important Kenyan University.

Of late,there have been bitter wrangles between the UoN Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi and his deputy Bernard Njoroge.

According to reliable reports,there are claims that Mbithi,who is Njoroge’s head,has been undermining his Deputy and that he has been eating up into his kitty and even delegating responsibilities to himself instead of to his Deputy.

In his letter to University Council Chairperson Idle Farah, dated August 4, Prof Njoroge accused Prof Mbithi of meddling in his office administration affairs, adding that he will not be pushed to sycophancy.

“I am personally seeking protection of the council to facilitate the discharge of the mandate of the office of deputy vice chancellor in charge of administration and finance (DVC A&F) in word and deed and not as the head of a small unit as the Vice Chancellor clearly intends,” reads the letter to Dr Farah.

He added, “Sycophancy has no place in the present constitutional dispensation or in my chequered career.”

The letter was written just hours after Mbithi released new university expenditure guidelines to Njoroge.

 “I have given new guidelines with regard to approvals for expenditure. From now henceforth, all expenditure of Sh100,000 and above will be approved by the vice chancellor with the recommendation of DVC A&F,” said Mbithi.

He said the decision was taken “on account of the current very critical cash flow situation being experienced at the University”.

“It has become necessary to institute additional controls on expenditure…expenditure below this threshold (Sh100,000) will continue as per the current practice, but with full consultation with and guidance from the DVC A&F,” reads the letter seen by The Standard.

But in his protest letter to the council, Njoroge said he draws his mandate from the statutes.

“Statute V (4) reads; the DVC A&F shall be the head of administration and finance division of the university whose functions include management of personnel matters, finance and assets,” he said.

He believes Mbithi’s letter is “demeaning and disrespectful”. Njoroge said the latter has already moved some core functions to his office, adding that this is meant to undermine him.

And now,invincible student leader,who has been allover the news of late,has stepped into the mud ring.. And is cautioning the two gentlemen to either quash their wrangling or to step aside and leave the job to people who can actually do it.

Speaking exclusively to Ghafla,Babu Owino said that the fights between the UoN VC and his deputy were threatening to throw the powerful institution in limbo and that the students were NOT impressed in the manner in which matters were being handled.

‘These men should either style up or go home! The school is tired of these childish fights that are now derailing almost everything! Important school matters cannot be handled by men who cannot put their own house in order! We need to be led by qualifications and maturity not rash testosterone!! This is a school! Not a public bathroom! You are not going to degrade the image of an institution so powerful by engaging in trivial egocentric squabbles! If you cannot manage the UON,then go manage Sabina Joy! Or Liddos! They can put up with seedy wrangles there! But not here!! ‘ Babu railed.

 

Babu Owino with H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta and H.E Deputy President William Ruto.

‘Infact the students are now demanding that Babu steps into the ring…And takes up the VC job himself! Yes,the honorable students of the honorable University of Nairobi are now saying that I should be their VC… And I am totally ready to take up the mantle. And to steer the school to the heights it deserves!’

And after we did a quick spot check conducted around a section of at least 50 students,male and female and in different faculties,they all said that, indeed,they would love to see Babu elevated to be the UoN Vice Chancellor.

‘He’s competent. And fearless… I think he can make a wonderful VC… We need someone who doesn’t put his own interests first… But those of the students. He’s shown competency before… I think he can be great! ‘ James Kamau,a student in UoN said in the survey conducted largely online.

‘ Babu ako sawa… Anajua ku-handle issues za Nairobi Uni… Plus he’s a committed leader… He should just go for it… ‘ said another female student.

‘ These nonsensical,bull crap fights must end! And if not,we’ll make them end! An institution cannot be run on a principle of bloated egos and childish jurisdiction battles! Either know your job and do it or we’ll teach you how it’s done! ‘ Babu barked.

Well… Where are things going? We can only sit and watch… Popcorn in hand.