A fierce power struggle is unfolding at the University of Nairobi after newly appointed Chancellor Patrick Verkooijen launched an ambitious two-year overhaul plan.
His strategy, designed to “save the university from a blazing fire,” has already secured backing from the UoN Council and President William Ruto’s Cabinet. However, a section of academic staff claims the plan masks a bid to sell off the institution’s prime property, reportedly worth close to 200 billion Shillings.
“We only hear that council has adopted it quickly and that the Cabinet has approved it but not a single professor has been briefed on it,” said Professor Peter Wasamba, who chairs the UoN professors’ association. “The chancellor is coming down from his ceremonial role to assume executive role and he must understand Kenya and the University of Nairobi very well.”
Verkooijen’s transformation blueprint calls for five broad goals, which he refers to as the “big five,” and eight key deliverables that must be in place by the end of 2026. He likens his approach to the renowned “judicial radical surgery” of 2003, arguing that only drastic changes can reverse the institution’s declining reputation.
He insists that ballooning debts, persistent labor disputes, frequent student unrest, and lackluster global rankings have created a pressing need for a radical shift. According to Verkooijen, piecemeal fixes won’t cut it. “I see my tenure as a moment to save the university from a blazing fire,” he told The Star newspaper.
Central to the clash is Verkooijen’s plan to “optimize” the university’s extensive land portfolio as a quick way to raise funds. An independent audit and valuation of all UoN properties is slated to determine which parcels will be sold, leased, or used in public-private partnerships.
The chancellor argues the move is unavoidable, given the reported KSh20 billion debt weighing down the university. “We will tap into the properties and land of the institution to clear all the debts and settle the numerous court cases to ensure the university is uplifted to the global standard it should be,” Verkooijen said. “I must emphasise that the process will be transparent and above board because I know the university land is public.”
However, Wasamba remains unconvinced. “They want to sell university properties and the land in an unaccountable manner. They are using a special purpose vehicle which then cannot be prosecuted once corruption occurs. This is unacceptable.”
Beyond concerns over property deals, professors fault the plan for painting faculty as an obstacle. Wasamba, a professor of African oral literature, points to what he calls “top-heavy mismanagement,” insisting that lecturers are not the root cause of UoN’s struggles.
“All this drama is top down, and has denied the chancellor, though well meaning, the chance to fully appreciate the reality on the ground. University of Nairobi’s problem is with management, not the teaching fraternity.”
Verkooijen’s approach highlights multiple institutional failings, including unpaid statutory deductions, over 200 pending court cases, and “substandard” basic academic services such as poor testing and grading. The chancellor maintains these issues have driven UoN into financial limbo and eroded its reputation both locally and internationally.
The University of Nairobi has repeatedly grabbed headlines for what critics describe as perpetual infighting and short-lived solutions. From persistent faculty strikes over delayed salaries to student protests and management scuffles, the headlines rarely depict the institution’s once-celebrated academic achievements.
We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on this story.
