Nairobi, Kenya – The University of Nairobi has been rocked by a major scandal following the arrest of its former Acting Chief Operations Officer, Brian Daniel Onyango Ouma, by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Ouma, who served in the powerful position until 18th April, faces a string of serious charges including embezzlement of public funds, unauthorised leasing of university property, irregular student admissions, falsification of academic records, and bribery related to staff promotions.
Investigations reveal that Mr Ouma is accused of irregularly admitting 37 students into undergraduate programmes and 5 into postgraduate studies in Paediatrics and Child Health without the requisite approvals. He is further alleged to have altered academic marks and accepted bribes to facilitate career progression for university staff.
In addition, he reportedly received sitting allowances from the University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services (UNES) management board despite not being formally appointed to represent the Vice-Chancellor—a matter now under probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The EACC is also investigating claims that Ouma used forged academic documents to secure employment at the university in March 2013. He allegedly claimed to hold a degree from a non-accredited institution and used this to fraudulently acquire an MBA from the University of Nairobi. His proximity to the Chancellor, Dr Vijoo Rattansi—whom he once served as a personal driver—is said to have facilitated these academic and administrative breaches.
Sources within the university allege that Ouma built an extensive network of influence during his time at the institution. As a self-appointed personal assistant to the Chair of Council, he reportedly coerced staff into creating a department of Advancement and Development, eventually taking over the leadership of the unit without competitive recruitment.
The department’s substantive director, Mr Johnson Kinyua, was displaced following a controversial reorganisation allegedly orchestrated by Ouma with the support of Prof. Julia Ojiambo, then Council Chair.
In 2023, Ouma is said to have spearheaded one of the university’s most contentious governance proposals—merging the offices of the three Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) into a single Chief Operations Officer post, which he intended for himself.
He further proposed downgrading DVCs to Associate Vice-Chancellors at Grade 17, positioning himself for eventual appointment as Vice-Chancellor without holding the required academic qualifications.
Critics accuse Ouma of running a parallel power structure within the university, intimidating staff, inciting students, manipulating internal politics, and promoting propaganda through selected media outlets, particularly Citizen Weekly. Allegations also include hiring goons to silence opposition and sowing discord between academic and administrative staff to consolidate power.
Since his appointment in 2015, the university has reportedly experienced financial decline, with consecutive budget deficits and ballooning pending bills. He is also linked to over 400 pending court cases involving the university—cases believed to be part of a strategy to paralyse institutional oversight and frustrate government reforms.
Once a symbol of academic excellence and intellectual leadership in Africa, the University of Nairobi now finds itself in a state of institutional disarray. With five different Councils appointed over a ten-year period—each allegedly influenced by Ouma—the university has struggled to maintain stability and credibility.
The Ministry of Education and the university’s governing organs are now under increasing pressure to restore accountability, transparency, and academic integrity to Kenya’s flagship higher education institution. As investigations deepen, stakeholders are calling for decisive action to reclaim the University’s lost glory.
