Lead image for Maseno University VC intrigues: Court battle deepens .
The race to appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor of Maseno University has been thrown into fresh uncertainty after a third court case challenged the fairness of the recruitment process, putting the appointment of the institution's next chief executive on hold.
The latest petition, filed by a member of the public, questions why the Public Service Commission (PSC) recommended candidates ranked first, fourth and fifth after interviews, while leaving out those who finished second and third.
The petitioner, Evans Aseto, has obtained orders stopping the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor pending the hearing and determination of the case.
His suit has since been consolidated with another filed by Solomon Okello, who has named the PSC and Maseno University Council as first and second respondents, respectively. The two suits raise similar questions over the PSC's recruitment process.
The latest legal challenge follows an earlier case filed by Prof Mary Abukutsa of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), who claimed that her application for the position was not captured despite having been submitted to the PSC. Prof Abukutsa challenged her exclusion from the shortlist but lost the case, allowing the recruitment process to proceed.
The PSC subsequently interviewed candidates and forwarded three names to the Maseno University Council for consideration.
Court documents filed in the latest case show that 10 candidates were shortlisted and interviewed between April 14 and 16, 2026.
Prof Bulitia Godrick Mathews emerged top with 79 marks, followed by Prof Bernard O. Aduda with 77.5 marks and Prof Francis Jakim Mulaa with 77 marks. Prof Kimani Chege Gabriel scored 76 marks, while Prof Mary Jepkemoi Kipsat scored 74 marks. Prof Joseph Ouma Rasowo also scored 74, followed by Prof Stephen Odebero with 71.5 marks and Godfrey S. Mse with 67 marks.