Prof Momanyi appointed KU Council Chair after Ben Chumo resigned

Newly appointed KU council chair Professor Clara Samiji Momanyi/COURTESY

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has appointed Professor Clara Samiji Momanyi as the new Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenyatta University Council. 

The appointment takes effect from December 19, 2025 and will run for three years under section 36 (1) of the Universities Act.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 36 (1) of the Universities Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Education appoints– Under paragraph (a)– Clara Samiji Momanyi (Prof.) to be the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Council of the Kenyatta University, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 19th December, 2025," a gazette notice by Ogamba reads.

"The appointment of Ben Chumo (Dr.) is revoked."

Momanyi replaces Chumo,  who resigned from the position in November 2025 amid controversy over governance and the university’s vice-chancellor recruitment process. 

Chumo’s resignation came on November 17,  when he tendered his letter to CS Ogamba just before a full council meeting scheduled to discuss criteria for hiring a substantive vice-chancellor.

In a statement after stepping down, Chumo said his decision was “a matter of principle”.

He denied resigning under pressure from the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), which had publicly raised concerns about delays in the recruitment process.

“Contrary to claims, I did not resign because of union pressure—nothing could be further from the truth. I have faced far greater pressures leading large organisations. My resignation is a matter of principle: if the ministry has no faith in me, then they should find someone else to run the process,” Chumo told the Star.

Chumo added that in his view, certain individuals might have been using the union to push a narrative that did not reflect the actual situation.

“The union’s statement appears to be an attempt to trivialise an important process and make themselves appear to be a mouthpiece. Someone is using the union to assign blame, perhaps even to make it look like they pushed me out," he said.

He added that interference from senior officials signalled a lack of confidence in the council’s leadership.

Chumo argued that the ministry’s involvement in internal council affairs, particularly around the vice-chancellor search, compromised the integrity of the process. 

According to Chumo, his main concern was the integrity of the recruitment process.

“The biggest issue here is the process. When you interfere with the process, the outcome becomes compromised. Things do not go wrong—they start wrong," he said..

"When the ministry stepped into our Council room, that signalled the wrong start. That is why I chose to step aside.”

The leadership change comes at a critical time for Kenyatta University, which is preparing for the retirement of Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wainaina in January 2026. 

Professor Momanyi, who succeeds Chumo, is expected to lead the council through this transition.

Her appointment was published in Gazette Notice No on December 19, 2025. 

While the Gazette did not detail reasons for the change in leadership, the development follows weeks of public and internal debate over governance and transparency at the institution.

Kenyatta University is one of Kenya’s largest public universities, with tens of thousands of students and multiple campuses nationwide. 

The role of the council chair is crucial in guiding policy, ensuring compliance with the law, and providing strategic direction on key governance matters.

Momanyi's leadership will be watched closely as the institution approaches its next phase of academic and administrative planning.

Momanyi is a respected academician who has taught Kiswahili literature in several Kenyan universities..

She is also a prolific creative writer, translator and researcher, contributing significantly to the growth and development of Kiswahili language and literature.

Her creative works in Tumaini, Nakuruto, and Nguu za Jadi.

Momanyi has also authored a number of children’s books, among them Ushindi wa Nakate, which won the 2015 Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, and Siku ya Wajinga and Pendo Katika Shari.