Prof Kosgey set to take over as Moi University VC after long wait

Prof Isaac Kosgey will be named Moi University Vice Chancellor.

Prof Kosgey, the Laikipia University’s deputy vice-chancellor, Administration, Finance and Development, is set to take over from acting Vice Chancellor Prof Laban Ayiro.

Kosgey emerged top in interviews conducted last year while Ayiro came second.

The Standard learnt yesterday that Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has been consulting on the legal and administrative implications of picking any of the two top contenders for the position.

The interviews by the university’s council were controversial.

Although former Education CS Fred Matiang’i filled eight positions of vice chancellor of other universities shortly before his departure, he skipped making the appointment at the Eldoret-based institution, apparently because of the intricacies surrounding the interviews.

There were allegations of tribalism after some panel members awarded low marks to Ayiro, while scoring Kosgei highly. Overall, Kosgey was awarded 76 marks while Ayiro scored 70.

Third was deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Commission for University Education (CUE) Prof Anne Nangulu.

Sources say upon her appointment, Ms Mohamed immediately initiated consultations and reached out to legal and education experts to find out the best way of making a pick from the three names that had been recommended for the Moi University VC position.

There was a near consensus that given the fact that Kosgei had topped in two successive interviews, it would raise serious questions among crusaders of meritocracy to deny him the job.

“It is being felt that, indeed, since two different councils have rated him first, the CS will have no basis of denying him the job,” said a government source familiar with the details.