The Peak
Prof Henry Mutembei, the newly appointed Chuka University Vice-Chancellor is a top-notch scholar with a total of 142 scholarly publications.
The 53-year-old is a Professor of Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics (Theriogenology) having earned his PhD at the University of Giessen in Germany in the year 2006.
The don who was the second director of Wangari Mathai Institute has published six books and has attracted over Sh2 billion in academic projects during his career as a scholar.
Born in a village in Igoji, South Imenti in Meru County, Mutembei went to primary school from 1977 to 1983 and later went to Chogoria Boys High School and Kianyaga Boys’ High School.
He joined the University of Nairobi in 1990 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1995 and graduated with a master’s degree in the same university.
After graduating with Ph.D., he came back to Kenya and started teaching at the University of Nairobi until May 2022 when he joined Chuka University as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Finance, Planning and Development (AFPD) affairs, a position he served until he was appointed the VC.
Prof Mutembei is a family man with one wife and two adult children, the firstborn is a medical doctor and the other is a food scientist.
Speaking to the media, the don said his vision as VC is to unite every person at the university in order to work as one solid team and to ensure that clients are treated as customers.
He added that during his administration dons will be encouraged to attract research, and publication and ensure the institution starts donating leadership to other universities.
“I want to make Chuka University a destination by ensuring faculty exchange across countries, marketing it, and giving dons freedom of expression,” he said.
Together with the newly appointed council, Prof Mutembei will be inaugurated at the main campus on Friday this week.
He takes over the ‘prophetic’ university with over 18,000 students when academic institutions are facing an economic crisis occasioned by delays by the government to release capitation and the generally bad economy.
In the OUT-TRAY, Mutembei has several ongoing multi-billion buildings including the Administration and Science Park buildings.
Since the exit of the founder and first VC, Prof Erastus Njoka, the university has been facing financial challenges leading to delays in salary payment.
The university staff, students, and other stakeholders are however hopeful that with his huge experience in administration, Prof Mutembei will soon gain momentum.
