Garissa University is facing serious scrutiny after an audit revealed prolonged gaps in leadership and multiple breaches of public service regulations, raising questions about how the university has been managed over the past three years.
The report highlights concerns over governance, staffing, and financial management, suggesting that several aspects of the institution’s operations may not comply with the law.
The audit, conducted by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu for the period ending June 30, points out that the university has been functioning without a substantive chancellor since February 2022. During this period, the vice chancellor has only been serving in an acting role, leaving the university without permanent leadership at the top.
“In the circumstances, the legality of the operations of the university could not be confirmed,” Gathungu stated in the report.
The review further reveals that the University Senate had shortlisted seven candidates for the chancellor position in November last year.
Despite the nominations being forwarded to the appointing authority, no formal appointment had been made as of August, when the audit was completed.
The university council chairperson submitted the list to the Public Service Commission, but the office remains vacant, contravening the University Act, 2012, which mandates that every public university must have a chancellor.
The auditors noted that Prof Ahmed Warfa has been performing the dual roles of acting vice chancellor and secretary to the council. They warned that the prolonged absence of fully appointed leaders could weaken institutional oversight and accountability at the highest level.
The financial review found Sh135 million in student fees still unpaid, which contributed to a qualified opinion on the university’s financial statements. In addition, the audit uncovered several irregularities in staffing and spending.
A significant concern highlighted was the ethnic imbalance among employees. Of the university’s 219 staff members, 58 per cent belong to the dominant ethnic group, breaching the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
The report shows that the group constitutes 33 per cent of senior management, 72 per cent of middle management, and 63 per cent of lower cadres, contrary to legal requirements that no single community should exceed one-third of staff representation.
The university also exceeded limits on personnel costs, with staff salaries and benefits consuming 51 per cent of total revenue.
Regulation 26 of the Public Finance Management (National Government) Regulations, 2015, caps employee costs at 35 per cent of revenue, highlighting a major breach in financial discipline.
The audit warns that the combination of leadership gaps, ethnic imbalance in staffing, and overspending poses risks to the university’s governance, operations, and public accountability. The findings call for immediate action to restore compliance and strengthen the institution’s management.
