Prof George Muthaa appointed Egerton University acting VC

By  Eric Matara

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

Egerton University Council has appointed Prof George Mungiria Muthaa, as acting vice-chancellor following the exit of Prof Isaac Ongubo Kibwage.

Prof Muthaa takes over the mantle at Egerton University, following the early retirement of Prof Kibwage who had served the institution as VC for five years, since his appointment on October 5, 2021.

"Egerton University Council has appointed Prof George Mungiria Muthaa, formerly deputy vice-chancellor in charge of Administration, Finance and Planning (DVC-AFP), as acting vice chancellor. This follows the conclusion of the tenure and retirement of vice chancellor Prof Isaac Ongubo Kibwage on 4 October 2026," reads part of the communique by the university council.

"Prof Muthaa brings extensive experience in educational management, strategic leadership and university administration to the office of Vice-Chancellor. His combined experience in academic leadership, strategic management and university administration provides a valuable foundation for guiding the institution during the leadership transition," further reads the communique.

A professor of educational management and social scientist, Prof Muthaa holds a doctoral and master's qualifications in Educational Management, a Bachelor of Education in Economics and Business Studies, and a Master of Business Administration, specialising in Strategic Management.

His additional professional training includes leadership development, information and communication technology, the knowledge society and ethics in higher education.

Before his appointment as Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Muthaa served as Egerton University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Finance and Planning.

His previous academic and administrative leadership experience includes service at Chuka University, where he held several positions, including that of founding Chairperson of the Department of Education, Director of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Dean and Director of Embu Campus and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Finance and Planning (DVC-AFP), at Turkana University College.

Prof Muthaa takes over leadership at the university at a time it is grappling with a debt that now stands at Sh25.5billion.

Since 2021, the university has been struggling to run its operations, due to insufficient funds.

The debt has ballooned from Sh9billion in 2021 when Prof Kibwage took over to Sh25.5 billion in 2026.

As of 2019, the debt burden at the university was Sh6 billion, but on the onset of the pandemic in 2020, the debt increased, as the management of the Njoro-based university made frantic efforts to rescue the sinking institution.

At some point the institution reduced the lecturers' and staff's salaries by 40 per cent to keep it afloat.

However,100 percent salary payment was later reinstated.

Prof Muthaa will now be expected to among other things come up with innovative ways to engineer a financial recovery for the institution.

Last month Egerton University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the student leadership opposed the extension of Prof Kibwage's tenure, accusing him of being behind the institution's financial woes.

The council has also made changes in the institution's senior management including that of Prof Julius Kipkemboi who has been appointed Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Finance and Planning (DVC-AFP).

Prof Bernard Aduda will continue to serve as Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs.

Prof Kipkemboi who has been a don in Egerton University's Department of Biological Science, holds a Bachelor of Science in Botany and Zoology from Egerton University, a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Technology from IHE Delft in the Netherlands, and a doctorate in environmental resources, with doctoral training involving Unesco-IHE Institute for Water Education and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

His research specialisations include wetland ecology and management, environmental systems analysis, ecosystem services and climate change. He has also participated in collaborative research projects, supervised postgraduate students and contributed to scientific publications.

Prof Kipkemboi has held several senior academic and administrative positions at Egerton University, including Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Director of Examinations and Timetabling, and Dean of the Faculty of Science.

He also served at Kaimosi Friends University in senior leadership roles, including Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and Deputy Principal for Academic and Student Affairs.

Before his latest appointment, he served as Director of Income Generating Units (IGUs) at Egerton University.

The directorate provides strategic guidance to university units engaged in revenue-generating activities, supporting efforts to diversify income sources, improving institutional resource utilisation and strengthening financial sustainability.

He has served on Kenya's National Scientific and Ethics Committee under the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (Nacosti) and represented Kenya on the Unesco Executive Board from 2019 to 2022.

Prof Kipkemboi will support the Acting Vice-Chancellor in overseeing administrative and financial operations, institutional planning, resource management and policy implementation. 

The new leadership's key priorities will include sustaining quality teaching and learning, strengthening research and innovation, improving resource mobilisation, enhancing financial resilience and ensuring efficient service delivery at the university's Njoro main campus and its satelite campuses.

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