June 25, 2021

VICE CHANCELLOR'S ADDRESS TO THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY ON 25TH JUNE 2021

To all members of the University Community,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I wish to salute the Chancellor, the Council, the government, all members of staff, our students, our collaborators and partners for holding up the Institution during this period of Covid 19 pandemic. Because of you, the Institution has been able to deliver according to its mandate.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Mid last year, the University identified five focus areas of reforms that will make it more vibrant, relevant and sustainable. We shall continue to focus on all the identified pillars of our reform agenda namely Data reforms, Governance reforms, People reforms, Curricula reforms and Financial reforms. We have made good progress so far. However, there is still a lot left to be done. During my last address, I updated you on the status of curricula reforms. Today I will focus on the governance reforms. We plan to interrogate the management and governance structures of the university and align them to the mandate of the University of Nairobi. The goal of the governance reform is to ensure enhanced accountability, efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery for improved competiveness and image. These reforms are also aimed at helping the University adapt to the changing environment including technological advancement.

Ultimately the new governance structures will ensure consistency with the University of Nairobi Mandate, address the Financial challenges currently being experienced and their implications to the future survival of the University, adapt to the contemporary and emerging global and local challenges like covid-19 and changing technology, be compliance with the regulatory environment including compliance with the University Act 2012 and other relevant legislations and policies.

Recently we sent out a call for views and recommendations on what interventions would be required to make our University more relevant, vibrant and sustainable. I am grateful for all those who have given their views. The views will inform the review of the governance and administrative structure.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Identifying and nurturing talent is an area of focus in the people reforms. On 18th June 2021, we held our annual university games where students and staff competed in various sports disciplines. The College of Biological and Physical Sciences (CBPS) emerged the best College, followed by College of Health Sciences (CHS) and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in the third position. Sports are necessary in improving a healthy life style and in developing a culture of competiveness

I take this opportunity to congratulate all participants and salute the winners for their excellent display of talents in various categories. University of Nairobi is truly a home of talents.

I believe that the majority have heard of the new athletics star in town, one Ferdinand Omanyala, who is a second year Bachelor of science, Chemistry student at school of Physical Sciences. Mr. Ferdinand Omanyala, recently broke the national records for 100 meter’s sprint and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. He has done the University of Nairobi proud. On behalf of the University community, I congratulate him and wish him all the best as he travels to Europe to participate in other competitive races before proceeding to Tokyo later next month. We pray for him to come back with a trophy. We cerebrate him.

The Directorate of Corporate Affairs will coordinate and organize the watch parties in the University so that we can cheer him during his first race on 31st July 2021 and God willing, on 1st August 2021 during the semi finals. You will be updated on this as appropriate.

As you are already aware, the UoN@50 celebrations are soon coming to a close on 30th June 2021. The convocation list to date indicates that we have graduated about 240,000 graduates. The University of Nairobi is therefore their alma mater, meaning their nursing mother or their nurturing mother. Many of those who have been nurtured by University of Nairobi academically would no doubt give testimonies on the role the University played in their own personal development. We are proud for all those University of Nairobi has nurtured. In a special way, I would like to appeal to all of you to consider and support the university in various ways depending on your individual or collective strengths so that your nursing mother, the University can continue to remain healthy and nurture many more now and days to come. Opportunities for engaging with the alma mater can be in various ways including:

Providing scholarships, mentoring of students, offering attachments for students, supporting of research activities, revamping of facilities, contributing to the endowment fund and any other ways that you may feel is appropriate.

I invite all those who consider the University of Nairobi as their alma matter, Nurturing mother to find comfort in engaging us through the office of the Director of University Advancement and Institutional Development, Email: advancement@uonbi.ac.ke or Directly through the office of the Vice chancellor, vc@uonbi.ac.ke

Thank you for listening to me. God Bless You Richly

 

PROF.STEPHEN KIAMA GITAHI, PHD

VICE CHANCELLOR.