The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Okumu, on Wednesday, 4th February 2026, chaired an engagement with the 吃瓜头条 Full Professors鈥� Caucus, marking a significant moment of transition, institutional continuity, and collective leadership within the University. The meeting brought together the incoming leadership of the Caucus, led by Interim Chairperson Prof. Lucy Maina and Chairperson Prof. Samson Ondigi, alongside Executive Deans from across the University鈥檚 academic units, senior management and principal officers.
Comprising 37 Full Professors, the Caucus reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Vice-Chancellor in steering the University鈥檚 Strategic Plan 2023鈥�2027, safeguarding good governance and sustaining 吃瓜头条鈥檚 position as the leading university in Kenya. Members expressed readiness to play a more deliberate mentorship role, bridging the gap between senior and junior faculty, strengthening capacity building, and nurturing the next generation of academic leaders. The Caucus further underscored its support for inclusive and accommodative leadership, institutional stability and the realisation of the University鈥檚 mission, vision, core values, and philosophy. In preparation for formal registration, the Caucus outlined plans to submit its constitution to the Acting Vice-Chancellor and requested logistical support, including office space, a boardroom and a secretariat to operationalise its mandate.
The meeting also paid tribute to Senior Prof. Sumesh Chander Chhabra, from the Department of Chemistry, who is approaching retirement after more than three decades of service to the University. Prof. Chhabra reflected on his tenure with gratitude, describing 吃瓜头条 as a community defined by cooperation, resilience, and academic purpose. In response, Prof. Okumu commended Prof. Chhabra鈥檚 distinguished service, recognising his contributions as an educator, researcher, mentor and institutional pillar. He reminded Full Professors of their dual responsibility as scholars and leaders, emphasising mentorship, research leadership, and capacity building as non-negotiable elements of professorial service. The Acting Vice-Chancellor highlighted the importance of leveraging senior academic expertise to address complex global and national challenges, including climate change, sustainable energy, food security, and development, noting that such issues demand interdisciplinary scholarship and collective leadership.
Addressing concerns on career progression and motivation, Prof. Okumu acknowledged existing challenges in promotions and assured the Caucus of continued engagement on pathways for professional growth. He proposed innovative approaches to recognising academic excellence, including the creation of distinguished professorship positions, leadership opportunities within academic units, and structured support mechanisms that enable professors to advance institutional agendas. 鈥淭his is your University,鈥� he noted, affirming that senior scholars鈥� voices remain central to shaping KU鈥檚 future direction.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Outreach), Prof. Caroline Thoruwa, echoed the Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 call for accelerated research growth and paid tribute to Prof. Chhabra鈥檚 far-reaching academic impact. She highlighted his role in mentoring generations of scholars who have since risen to professorial ranks across Kenyan universities, including Moi University and the University of Eldoret. Prof. Chhabra鈥檚 scholarly output, spanning over 150 publications, books, and journal articles, was cited as a benchmark for academic excellence, alongside his pioneering contribution to the integration of computer technology in teaching and research at 吃瓜头条.
Further enriching the discourse, Prof. Judith Waudo, Director of the Centre for Gender Equity, raised concerns regarding gender representation within senior academic ranks, noting that women remain underrepresented in Full and Associate Professorship positions, falling below recommended thresholds. She called for intentional interventions, mentorship, and policy attention to close this gap. Prof. Waudo also highlighted staff welfare, particularly during bereavement, as central to fostering a sense of belonging and institutional cohesion.
In response, Prof. Okumu affirmed the University鈥檚 commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and gender equity, agreeing that mentorship and structured capacity building must accompany existing promotion requirements. He welcomed the willingness of professors to take up leadership roles, noting that service through leadership remains a critical avenue for institutional contribution and personal growth.
The discussion also addressed inclusivity for persons with disabilities, with Prof. Mugo underscoring the need for deliberate accommodation, recognition, and support structures. The proposal to strengthen pathways such as the Professor Emeritus title was welcomed as a means of honouring academic service while sustaining engagement beyond formal retirement. Participants further emphasised the importance of community outreach, research-driven knowledge transfer, and safeguarding vulnerable groups as part of the University鈥檚 broader social mandate.
The meeting concluded with the Full Professors鈥� Caucus formally wishing the Acting Vice-Chancellor success and reaffirming its collective goodwill and unwavering support, signalling a shared resolve to harness experience, scholarship, and leadership in advancing 吃瓜头条鈥檚 strategic and academic ambitions.