NAIROBI MAY 6, 2016(CISA)-Prof Justus Gitari Mbae, Kenyan has been appointed the new Vice Chancellor(VC) of Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) based in Nairobi.
He takes over, in an acting capacity, from Msgr Dr Pius Rutechura, a clergy from the Catholic diocese of Bukoba in Tanzania.
His appointment was announced by the chair of the University Council, Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba on May 5, in a meeting with senior University staff.
Bishop Makumba said the appointment of Prof. Mbae was reached after months of consultations from CUEA stakeholders, including representatives of Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) who own the institution.
“On behalf of the AMECEA Chairman and Chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa H.E Berhaneyesus D. Cardinal Souraphiel, I hereby communicate that after interviews conducted by the CUEA Search Team and successful voting exercise by all the AMECEA Executive Board Members, Prof. Justus Gitari Mbae has been appointed the Vice Chancellor (Ag),” reads in part the letter by AMECEA Secretary General, Fr Ferdinand Lugonzo.
Prof Mbae has served as Deputy VC Academics at the university for four years.
Before his appointment as the Deputy VC for Academics, Prof Mbae served at the Embassy of the United States in Nairobi as the Educational and Cultural Affairs Specialist, a position he held from 1993 to 2010.
He also worked at Kenyatta University, first as lecturer and later as senior lecturer and chairman at the department of educational foundations from 1981 to 1990 and from 1990 to 1993 respectively.
He holds a PhD in Philosophy from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which he received in 1990.
In his handing over speech at CUEA main campus in Langata, Nairobi, Msgr Rutechura congratulated Prof. Mbae for accepting the new responsibility as the VC of the 32-year old Catholic institution.
“This appointment is not a privilege as many might perceive; it is a call to duty whereby you will have to go an extra mile in providing leadership for this august institution,” said Msgr Rutechura.
Before his appointment as CUEA VC in 2011, Msgr Rutechura had served as AMECEA Secretary General.
