Enhancing Accountability: MMUST Undergoes Performance Management Evaluation Exercise for the Financial Year 2024/2025
As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance accountability, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology has undergone a performance management evaluation exercise for the Financial Year 2024/2025. The one-day exercise, facilitated by officials from the Public Service Performance and Monitoring Unit (PSPMU), took place on Thursday, 20th November, 2025 at the University. It was graced by the MMUST Chairperson of Council-Dr. Pamela Sitienei, and attended by Council Member-Dr. George Lutomia, the Vice Chancellor-Prof. Solomon Shibairo, the University Management Board, Registrars, Deans, Directors, Coordinators, as well as other Heads of Cost Centers. The PSPMU evaluators comprised the Deputy Director-Mr. Wilson Ng’ang’a and Ms. Ralia Arero Jilo, the Assistant Director.
Dr. Sitienei’s speech during the event highlighted the Council’s commitment to promoting the culture of accountability in service delivery at MMUST. In the address, she pointed out that the University Council has endeavored to streamline operations and optimize resource utilization across all the Departments and Cost Centres. “Supporting initiatives that strengthen operational effectiveness, is part of our mandate and has enabled us to ensure transparent management of resources. I call upon all our target holders to continue aligning their objectives with the institution’s strategic goals in order to achieve efficiency and positive performance-driven outcomes. Let us uphold high standards and improve our services for the benefit of our students, staff and the larger community,” she said.
MMUST Chairperson of Council, Dr. Pamela Sitienei, at the event.
“I thank the MMUST Council for its continued support and guidance, which has enabled this institution to remain stable. This evaluation exercise plays an important role in ensuring that the University fulfills its mandate,” stated Prof. Shibairo, emphasizing the need for staff to put in more effort to enable the University to perform better and achieve more desirable results. Further, the Vice Chancellor noted that MMUST’s research portfolio has grown tremendously, saying that the University is among the institutions of higher learning in Kenya with the highest number of innovations. He added, “MMUST has experienced significant growth since its establishment in 1972. From a small College, we have become an institution producing one of the best graduates in the country. We have also seen immense infrastructural development, and we anticipate even more, including the construction of a 14-storey affordable student hostel complex, which we just launched.”
In his opening remarks, the lead Evaluator-Mr. Wilson Ng’ang’a, echoed that performance management is aimed at ensuring that institutions stay in line with their mandate. “This exercise is for the benefit of the University and the country as well. Today, we are here to not only assess your systems, procedures and processes, but also to find out how you have continuously worked towards improving them,” said Mr. Ng’ang’a. He also named the agreed common indicators that Universities should target, including ‘undergraduate and postgraduate student completion rates’, ‘CBE rolled-out’, ‘community outreach programmes undertaken’, ‘University-industry linkages established’, and ‘research publications increased’.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Shibairo, speaks during the opening ceremony of the evaluation exercise.
In an interview with DCCM, the Director, Directorate of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (PME)-Prof. Joseph Nasongo, described the exercise as highly successful, commending the evaluators for their objectivity. “All Heads of Cost Centers were able to present the evidence supporting the implementation of their Performance Contract targets and sub-indicators. The exercise was completed smoothly and I am glad to report that MMUST was graded in the ‘very good’ category, which is an improvement from the previous evaluation,” remarked Prof. Nasongo.
Consistent evaluation of staff performance across all University Departments is crucial to promoting accountability and strengthening institutional effectiveness. By taking part in such exercises, there is no doubt that MMUST will continue to enhance efficiency in its service delivery, remaining one of the top performers in the higher education sector.
By Wangari Wambugu
Photos by Shiundu Masafu
