Egerton University has announced the appointment of its new Vice-Chancellor (VC), Professor Isaac Ongubo Kibwage. Kibwage becomes the sixth VC of the institution.

The announcement was made on Wednesday in an internal memo signed by Wilson Kipruto Rono, the acting chairperson of Egerton University Council.

"Following the interview process carried out by the Public Service Commission(PSC) and after Consultations with the Cabinet Secretary for Education, in exercise of the provisions of section 35 (10 (a) (v) of the Universities Act, 2012 we the Egerton University council have on October 5, 2021appointed Prof Isaac Ongubo Kibwage as the new Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University," read the memo.

Kibwage has been acting in the capacity of VC for Egerton University since the mandatory retirement of Prof. Rose Mwonya who had gotten to her 70.

He has been a former Deputy VC in charge of administration, planning and development before he was promoted to act in the VC’s capacity.

Kibwage has worked as the principal of the College of Health Sciences, the University of Nairobi where he was the Academic Research, Financial and Administrative head of the college between May 2007 and May 2017.

He has also served as a Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Nairobi.

Kibwage holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Nairobi, a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and a Doctoral Research Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.

Kibwage takes the helm at Egerton University amid financial turmoil and the focus is on him as the institution is over Sh6 billion in debt.