A cloud of discontent has engulfed Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri as a cross section of dons at the institute demand fullscale and unscrupulous investigations into how the immediate ex-Laikipia governor Nderitu Muriithi was awarded contracts to projects that never kicked off.
Insiders at the university reveal that Muriithi consultancy firm landed millions of shillings in the suspicious deals.
Further, Muriithi has been receiving Sh300,000 monthly allowances until recently when he was appointed KRA chairman.
Sources say that former VC Ndirangu Kioni influenced the award of the contentious contract.
Prof Kioni has so far gone back to the lecture hall to teach. Muriithi is associated with Ecocapp Capital Limited, an advisory firm.
The VC is Peter Muchiri while Esther Magiri is DVC Administration and Finance.
That tribalism is rampant at the institution is no secret. Elizabeth Njeri is registrar Academic and Research and is closely linked to Muriithi suspicious projects.
The shy Paul Mbote is the registrar Administration and Finance. Joke is cracked at the university that Mbote looks shy but when it comes to money matters, the story is quite different. Abraham Mwangi is chief finance officer.
Muriithi was named a policy research fellow to developed new approaches to small project implementation in the public sector and innovation in the financing of public projects.
Kioni in his statement then stated Muriithi’s appointment was affiliated to Dekut UNESCO chair on Anticipatory Socio-Technical Systems.
Through Research Fellow and Visiting Professors policy, the university’s aim was to enrich the research and knowledge dissemination environment.
“Research Fellows and Visiting Professors bring to the university new ideas and perspectives as well as knowledge acquired in an environment vastly different from that of the faculty in Dekut. This diversity of perspectives and backgrounds is a recognised powerful catalyst for rapid generation of novel ideas and solutions to problems,” Kioni said.
According to the university, the appointment of Muriithi was to help the institution achieve better engagement of faculty with the industry.
“This is a key appointment and will also enhance the relevance of the university education and research which is more responsive to the needs of society,” said then VC.
We have since established that while serving as governor of Laikipia, the administration collaborated closely with the university in areas of innovation, manufacturing and project management.
One such area was the controversial Nanyuki-based Mwireri Engineering.
The county government purchased the drier for the Kinamba cereal warehouse and was to produce two more for Sipili and Mutanga warehouses.
The university’s engineering department also worked with the county government to develop the Laikipia-made four-wheeler tuk-tuk BJ50 in Nyahururu.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the two institutions also collaborated to develop a medical ventilator.
Some 90 county government officers were awarded with a postgraduate diploma in project management with the county paying.
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