Lecturers Disappear After Tricking Their Universities into Awarding Them Sh10 Million Scholarships
Two university lecturers have reportedly disappeared after tricking their institutions into awarding them scholarships worth over Sh10 million. One of the lecturers, an assistant lecturer at Karatina University, allegedly obtained a master’s scholarship in 2014 with the agreement that he would return to the institution in December 2018.
However, upon his return, he secured a job with the County Government of Kilifi, breaching his agreement with Karatina University. The lecturer was sponsored to pursue a PhD in veterinary medicine at Yangzhou University in China for three years and 10 months at a cost of Sh5.6 million, which was approved by the university.
As of March 2021, the former lecturer had only paid back Sh1.5 million in two installments of Sh500,000 and Sh1 million, prompting the university to write to the Kilifi county secretary to help recover the funds. The lecturer’s breach of agreement led to the university management board declining to approve his leave of absence.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Mucai Muchiri, appeared before the public investments committee on education and governance, where the committee chairperson, Wanami Wamboka, ordered the former don to appear before the committee the following week.
Similarly, another lecturer at Dedan Kimathi University secured a scholarship worth Sh2 million but allegedly disappeared after acquiring another opportunity. While away, he received over Sh7 million in salaries, leave allowance, and annual allowance. The matter is an ongoing court case, according to DKUT VC Ndirangu Kioni.
MPs have called for the investigation of public university scholarships to filter out such cases to avoid future financial losses for taxpayers. MPs have also criticized the universities’ policies, with Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje calling for the former don to pay more than Sh5 million for breaching the contract.
He also suggested that the university should recover the Sh5 million and more money to pay for damages, as the institution had to hire someone else for a position that the former lecturer was supposed to hold upon his return. Narok County MP Rebecca Tonkei warned that taxpayers could lose more money in the future if universities do not take necessary precautions to prevent the breach of scholarship contracts.
Lecturers Disappear After Tricking Their Universities into Awarding Them Sh10 Million Scholarships