The High Court has temporarily stopped Kenyatta University from appointing a new Vice Chancellor after a dispute over how the recent recruitment was handled.
The decision was made by Justice Njoki Mwangi following an application filed by Prof. Waceke Wanjohi, who currently serves as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs.
In her ruling, Justice Mwangi said that the permission granted to proceed with the case will act as a temporary injunction.
This means the university and other parties involved cannot fill the Vice Chancellor position or appoint anyone else apart from Wanjohi until the case is heard and determined.
The order is meant to preserve the situation as it is and prevent further action that could affect the outcome of the case.
Wanjohi has taken legal action against the Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Attorney General, and the university council. She is challenging how the interviews conducted in March 2026 were handled and the outcome that followed.
According to court documents, she claims she was the top candidate in the process but says the authorities have failed to act on the interview panel’s recommendations.
She argues that even though the panel recommended her for the position, no official steps have been taken to confirm the appointment or release the full interview results, including candidates’ scores.
Instead, she alleges that the university council, together with the Public Service Commission, has started disciplinary proceedings against her, which she believes are meant to block her chances.
In her application, Wanjohi is asking the court to compel the Education Cabinet Secretary to implement the panel’s decision and release the results.
She also wants the court to stop any appointment of another candidate and halt any disciplinary action against her.
She further seeks to cancel a decision contained in a letter dated April 16, 2026, which she says allowed the disciplinary process to begin.
Justice Mwangi also ordered that any disciplinary proceedings against Wanjohi be suspended until the case is determined.
The court directed her to file and serve the main case within 14 days from April 23, 2026, and set the matter for mention on May 20, 2026.
Wanjohi argues that her right to a fair hearing under Article 50 of the Constitution has been violated.
She warns that if the position is filled before the case is concluded, the matter could lose meaning.
Prof. John Okumu has been serving as Acting Vice Chancellor since January 2026, following the retirement of Prof. Paul Wainaina.
