The political pendulum has swung in Kenya, but for Kenyatta University, the wrecking ball remains in the exact same position. Prof. Paul Wainaina, the Vice Chancellor who became a hero for defying a president, has revealed the bitter irony of his "reinstatement" in the final chapter of his serialized memoir.

In the explosive conclusion to Firm and Forthright, published exclusively by the Daily Nation, Prof. Wainaina details how the administration of President William Ruto—which swept to power promising to protect institutional autonomy—has quietly adopted the very "script" of coercion used by the previous regime. The dispute centers on the same 410 acres of prime university land that former President Uhuru Kenyatta sought to excise for the World Health Organization (WHO) hub and squatter settlement, a move Ruto once vocally condemned.

The "Saviour" Becomes the Tormentor

Wainaina’s narrative is one of disillusionment. He recounts his triumphant return to the university in October 2022, buoyed by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s public apology and promise that "never again" would a professor be humiliated. Yet, the memoir reveals that within months, the new power brokers began applying the same pressure to surrender the title deeds.

"I realized that my dismissal was political, and my reinstatement was political," Wainaina writes. "But the land appetite was bipartisan." The government is now pushing ahead with the allocation of 30 acres to the WHO and 190 acres to the Kamae squatters, using the same "public interest" justification that the Kenya Kwanza alliance had previously labeled as impunity.

• The Broken Promise: During the 2022 campaigns, the current leadership successfully politicized the land row, framing it as a battle between an imperious state and a humble scholar. Today, that distinction has vanished.
• The WHO Hub Dilemma: While the WHO emergency hub is a strategic asset for Kenya, the university maintains that the excision of its land without due process sets a dangerous precedent for all public institutions.

The Cycle of Impunity

The serialization of Firm and Forthright has gripped the academic community, exposing how fragile the independence of public universities truly is. Wainaina’s account serves as a cautionary tale: in Kenyan politics, allies are temporary, but interests are permanent.

As the bulldozers prepare to return to the disputed site, the university community is left with a stark realization. The faces in State House have changed, but the ethos of land appropriation remains untouchedAs Wainaina concludes, "The more things change, the more they remain the same."