Appointment of Prof. Ahmed Osman Warfa as the Vice-Chancellor of Garissa University, raising multiple allegations regarding his qualifications for the role.

Whistleblower Questions Prof. Ahmed Osman Warfa's Vice-Chancellorship at Garissa University

A whistleblower has formally contested the appointment of Prof. Ahmed Osman Warfa as the Vice-Chancellor of Garissa University, raising multiple allegations regarding his qualifications for the role.

In a correspondence dated October 1, 2024, addressed to the Principal Secretary of the State Department of University Education and Research, the whistleblower accused Prof. Warfa of incompetence, unethical practices and favouritism.

Warfa has held the position of Acting Vice-Chancellor for several years, a tenure that has sparked controversy.

The whistleblower points out that Prof. Warfa has exceeded the permissible duration for a Vice-Chancellor, having been in acting and full roles since 2014. 

According to the Universities Act No. 42 of 2012, a Vice-Chancellor should not serve for more than ten years, a regulation Warfa has breached.

Although the university advertised the position in March 2024 and conducted interviews on July 5, 2024, allegations have emerged suggesting that a prominent local politician is advocating for Warfa's permanent appointment, raising doubts about the integrity of the selection process. 

Stakeholders are now questioning whether meritocracy and transparency are genuinely prioritized in the university's hiring practices.

Concerns regarding financial practices have also surfaced. Since the 2022/23 fiscal year, Garissa University is said to have allocated over Ksh 67 million to renovation initiatives that many view as unnecessary and overpriced. 

In the subsequent year, Ksh 43.7 million was spent on transforming staff accommodations into office spaces, including Ksh 4.9 million dedicated to converting a single staff house into a procurement office.

The whistleblower alleges these renovation efforts facilitated "budgeted corruption," with insinuations of kickbacks tied to the procurement process, purportedly organized in collaboration with the local Public Works Office.

Prof. Warfa is also accused of mismanaging significant development projects. A hostel meant for 750 students remains incomplete, despite expenditures exceeding Ksh 6 million. 

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, costing Ksh 16 million, alongside an ICT infrastructure project valued at Ksh 32 million, has not been put into operation.

The whistleblower further claims that Prof. Warfa has manipulated procurement regulations to inflate prices of goods and services. 

A notable assertion involves the recruitment of new staff, with 90% allegedly coming from Warfa's ethnic background, the Somali community.

Out of 44 leadership roles at the university, 29 are reportedly filled by individuals from the Muslim-Somali community, including several of Warfa’s relatives. 

This has led to questions regarding the representation and diversity within the university's leadership.

Additional accusations indicate irregularities in appointments and promotions, breaching established recruitment protocols. 

For example, an individual received a promotion from tutorial fellow to Head of Human Resources while still under probation. 

Prof. Warfa also allegedly permitted unqualified casual workers to transition into permanent positions without proper evaluations.

Reports indicate that Prof. Warfa has not complied with necessary budgetary controls, leading to an unrealized revenue of Ksh 18.2 million in the 2022/23 fiscal year. 

Employee expenses surpassed the approved budget by Ksh 2.8 million, prompting auditors to express doubts about the univfavouritismersity's financial sustainability.

The institution reportedly holds Ksh 84.3 million in current liabilities against Ksh 43.6 million in assets, raising concerns about its ability to fulfill financial commitments.