Prof Fredrick Otieno accuses some council members of working with EACC to sack him.
Embattled Masinde Muliro University vice-chancellor Fredrick Otieno, who is facing corruption accusations, has now sought the intervention of Education secretary Fred Matiang’i to save his job.
Prof Otieno is accusing a section of the university council members of working with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to hound him out of office without following due process and in disregard of the guidelines that were issued by Dr Matiang’i last November in relation to the inquiry.
The vice-chancellor, who is serving his first term that ends next year, has been accused of ethnic bias, unethical conduct and involvement in financial impropriety at the institution.
Dr Matiang’i, in a letter dated November 22, to council chairman Jeremy Bundi, asked the council to investigate the claims and rejected EACC’s demand to have Prof Otieno suspended to pave the way for investigations.
However, the vice chancellor wrote a letter dated December 8 to Dr Matiang’i accusing the council of ignoring the guidelines. He claimed Dr Bundi of directing EACC investigators with the ultimate goal of suspending him from office.
In the letter, Prof Otieno accuses the chairman of personally frequenting the vehicle of two EACC detectives who had come to investigate the claims before they made their way to the university boardroom.
Prof Otieno said the EACC officers met four chairpersons of the council sub-committee, arguing that he was locked out of the meeting that was part of the anti-graft agency inquiry.
The vice-chancellor said he was later called and informed of his suspension.
“It is unfortunate and sad that all indicators of the said meeting confirm my fears that the allegations against me by the commission are malicious and part of well-calculated moves and choreographed schemes meant to intimidate and hound me out of office for no justifiable cause by persons who have an agenda known to themselves,” wrote Prof Otieno to Dr Matiangi.
“I request your office to look into circumstances leading to the above unfortunate state of affairs and issue the necessary directives in order to prevent the clear abrogation of the vice-chancellor’s rights, breach of well-established rules and protocols and cherished procedural safeguards that apply to that office, irrespective of the occupant,” he added.
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