Prof Olive Mugenda Among Those Summoned Over Alleged Ksh 6.2 Billion Fund Misuse

Prof Olive Mugenda Among Those Summoned Over Alleged Ksh 6.2 Billion KU Fund Misuse

The National Assembly watchdog committee, on July 1, 2026, summoned former Kenyatta University Vice Chancellors Prof. Olive Mugenda and Prof. Paul Wainaina to answer audit queries linked to an alleged Sh6.2 billion misuse of funds.

The committee moved after a special audit on Kenyatta University accounts for the financial years 2018/2019 to 2020/2021 unearthed a possible loss of Ksh 6.2 billion. Prof. Mugenda and Prof. Wainaina will appear alongside Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. John Okumu to respond to audit queries raised by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu.

Meanwhile, the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, insisted that the former Vice Chancellors must personally respond to the audit queries. Members argued that the acting Vice Chancellor cannot address decisions made before his tenure.

“The issues being tackled relate to 2014/2015 onwards, and it would be unfair to expect the current acting Vice Chancellor to answer for matters he neither handled nor has institutional memory of,” Maungu said.

Further, he warned that the committee will make “far-reaching” recommendations against individuals found culpable, saying the alleged misuse of public resources at the university will not go unpunished.

“We have seen what appears to be massive looting of public funds and inappropriate conduct. Those responsible must be held to account because we cannot allow public property to be misused or looted,” he said.

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MPs Raise Concerns in Kenyatta University VCs Probe

At the same time, Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei backed the summons and stressed the scale of the funds under scrutiny.

“We are dealing with over Ksh 6 billion. This is not petty cash. Professor Mugenda and Professor Wainaina must appear before this committee and explain where this money went,” she said.

In addition, Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima cited findings from an earlier parliamentary inspection visit to the university’s Kigali campus.

He questioned the expenditure of more than Ksh 300 million on the project, saying investigators found little value for money.

Similarly, Kasipul MP Boyd Were maintained that the committee cannot conclude its inquiry without hearing from those who approved the expenditure.

He cited audit concerns, including unsupported expenditure, overpayments, and the establishment of the university’s Kigali campus before obtaining the necessary approvals.

Acting VC Responds

When he appeared before the committee, Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Okumu acknowledged that many of the issues predated his tenure and agreed that his predecessors could better address the audit queries.

“The members are correct. There are issues that were handled by the chief executive officers of the day, and my former bosses would be in a better position to respond to most of the matters raised,” he said.

He also admitted that several stalled development projects highlighted in the audit remain incomplete due to financial constraints.

He told MPs that projects including the Children’s Hospital, the School of Business, and the Crystal Facility have seen little or no progress since the audit period.

He added that the university has been facing severe financial challenges, including a lack of government capitation for some projects.

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Procurement Irregularities

At the same time, the committee questioned procurement irregularities flagged in the audit, including the issuance of local purchase orders after delivery of goods and the use of expired purchase orders.

The university’s procurement office conceded that the irregularities occurred, although the current office holders said they were not in charge at the time.

However, the procurement officer told MPs the university has since strengthened internal controls to prevent a recurrence.

Finally, the committee resolved to summon former procurement officials who served during the period under investigation alongside the former Vice Chancellors.

Some MPs also proposed inviting former and current members of the University Council to clarify whether key projects, including the Kigali campus, received the required approvals before implementation.

Maungu said the committee intends to conclude the long-running Kenyatta University inquiry during the current Parliament and will hold multiple hearings to establish individual responsibility before making recommendations for further action.

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