NAIROBI, Kenya – The University of Nairobi (UoN) is under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over the alleged mismanagement and fraudulent leasing of university property worth billions of shillings.
In a letter to acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Margaret Hutchinson, the EACC has demanded documents relating to the acquisition and leasing of multiple university-owned parcels, amid concerns that prime land has been irregularly transferred to private entities.
The university has until Monday, April 7, to comply.
Properties under scrutiny include hundreds of acres across Nairobi and other counties — among them, 10 acres in Kanyariri Farm, 40 acres in Loresho behind ANP hostels, 100 acres at the Kibwezi Field Station, and six acres near the Dusit Hotel.
The EACC is also probing a 20-acre lease to Shamba Café Hotel in Loresho Ridge.
The commission is seeking lease or tenancy agreements, minutes of approval meetings, correspondence with lessees, and any documentation of land use changes.
The probe follows a complaint by the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), whose Nairobi chapter cited the Auditor General’s report flagging irregularities in land leases.
UASU secretary Maloba Wekesa said some properties were leased to unidentified individuals, while income from rented land could not be traced in university accounts.
“The Auditor General noted that a parcel was leased to an unknown person. In other cases, there is no documentation on how lessees were selected or whether the university is benefitting from the arrangements,” said Wekesa.
The report also raised red flags over Sh100 million allocated for the construction of the university’s Engineering and Science Complex — with much of the money reportedly spent on allowances and feasibility studies, but with little to show on the ground.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Education Committee, Prof. Hutchinson admitted that UoN is currently struggling with Sh13 billion in unpaid bills, including arrears to the Kenya Revenue Authority, pension and social security contributions, insurance providers, and staff welfare obligations.
The unfolding scandal has cast a harsh spotlight on the management of one of Kenya’s premier universities and raised broader concerns over accountability in public institutions.
