The Public Service Commission (PSC) has reinstated the Maasai Mara University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Mary Walingo pending a hearing of an anti-corruption case lodged against her.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the PSC CEO Simon Rotich instructed Prof. Walingo to be paid half of her salary and allowances from the date of her suspension.
Mr Rotich issued the orders after an appeal was filed against the University Council on the 20th of May, 2022.
Prof Walingo argued in her appeal that the Council did not give her a fair hearing before deciding to terminate her employment and that it should have only submitted only a recommendation to the Cabinet Secretary for Education.
In its decision on the 6th of September, the Council said that it had the power to terminate the employment of the VC.
However, the termination was not done in a lawful manner.
“Consequently. The Commission allows the appeal and directs that the appellant be reinstated back to her employment on suspension pending the hearing and determination of the Anti-Corruption case or until her contract is lawfully terminated,” stated Ambassador Anthony Muchiri, Chairperson to the PSC.
Prof Walingo had been implicated alongside four other Maasai Mara University officials in an alleged Kshs. 177 million corruption scandal.
The four other officials include the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration Simon Kasaine, former Acting DVC Finance John Almadi, former finance officer Anaclet Biket and her driver Noor Hassan Abdi.
Following the implication, the University Council sent Prof Walingo on compulsory leave on September 2019.
On the 23rd of October 2020, she was suspended pending a hearing and determination of the case against her before the Nakuru Law Courts.
The accused denied the charges that ranged from conspiracy to commit corruption offences, willful failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds, abuse of office, fraudulent false accounting and stealing by person.
Court charges indicated that the five allegedly conspired to misappropriate public funds amounting to Kshs. 177,007,754 between the 24th of January and the 19th of July 2019 at the University.
Prof Kitche Magak, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of academic affairs was appointed to replace her in an acting capacity and was later replaced by Joseph Chacha in January 2022 in an acting capacity.
Transparency International (TI) Kenya has since condemned the PSC’s move to reinstate the embattled Vice-Chancellor.
“We call upon the judiciary and the ODPP to expedite the Mara Heist corruption case because other whistleblowers involved in the case, who unfortunately lost their jobs, deserve a fair hearing,” said Transparency International.
Through a statement, Transparency International said that Prof Walingo’s return to her position was an insult to Kenya’s Constitution and especially the ethical and moral values that govern the assumption of office for civil servants.