Professor Stephen Kiama Gitahi is the 8th Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi. He is a veterinarian by training, but his journey to the top of one of Africa’s leading universities has been anything but ordinary.
Here is his story, as told by WoK.
Early Life
Kiama was born in 1964 in Karima Sublocation, Othaya, Nyeri County. His interesting academic journey started at a local nursery school, where he learnt the alphabet, numerals, among other subjects.
The nursery school demanded school fees from learners, and at one time the young Kiama had to stay home due to lack of school fees. However, his teacher (who is still alive) called him back.
The transition from nursery school to standard one required an exam, where numerals and alphabets were written on manilla papers, and learners were required to identify them as teachers pointed them out.
Based on their performance, learners were graded into classes A, B, and C. This grading also determined the time that students would attend classes.
Those in class B would attend school in the afternoon, while those in A would attend in the morning. It also determined the sitting arrangement, which would be classified into columns A, B, and C. Kiama ended up in Class A.
In 1972, he enrolled in Gatugi Primary School, where he sat for his Certificate of Primary Education in 1978.
High School
In 1979, the 15-year-old Kiama was admitted to Kenyatta High School, also in Othaya. He was admitted together with his elder sister, whom he had caught up with academically.
His parents could not afford to pay school fees for both siblings, so Kiama had to drop out of school for a while. However, on learning about the situation, the school principal allowed him to join and pay the fees later.
After high school, Kiama proceeded to Nakuru High School in 1983 for his A levels. He describes his time there as highly interesting, especially the diet. Students consumed milk and eggs, among other delicacies. It was also his first time to wear a trouser as a student.
University
In 1986, the 22-year-old Kiama enrolled in the University of Nairobi to pursue a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine. Upon completion, he was absorbed at the University as an assistant lecturer in 1990.
He then enrolled for a Master’s in Veterinary Anatomy at the university, which he completed in 1995. Kiama was then awarded a scholarship to Switzerland under the Federal Commission for foreign scholarships.
He went there in 1997, and graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in Structural Biology from the University of Bern in 2001.
He then returned to his assistant lecturer job at the University of Nairobi, rising through the ranks to become a lecturer, senior lecturer, associate professor, and professor.
He has supervised over 15 Ph.D. and 14 master’s students at Makerere University, Rhodes University, and the University of Nairobi.
On June 5, 2020, Stephen Kiama Gitahi became the 8th Vice Chancellor of Nairobi University.
He is married to Triza Nungari, with whom they have two children. One of them is at the university, while the other is engaged in business ventures.
