The Vice Chancellor, Prof  Laban Ayiro receives the signed performance contract document from Council Chair, Prof. George Njoroge. With them is the Chair, Finance Committee of Council Mr. Desmond Mtula (left) and Chair, Human Resource and Spiritual Nurture Committee of Council Mrs. Nyambura Musyimi (right).

[Nairobi, September 18, 2024] Vice Chancellor, Prof. Laban P. Ayiro, Deputy Vice Chancellor- FAP Prof. Muturi Wachira and Deputy Vice Chancellor- ARSA, Prof. Faith Nguru have signed their performance contracts for the year 2024- 2025.  

The signing ceremony, which took place at the Nairobi Campus Council Room, was conducted by the University Council Chair, Prof. George Njoroge, assisted by the Chair, Spiritual Nurture and Human Resource Committee of Council, Mrs. Nyambura Musyimi, and the Chair of the Finance Committee of Council, Mr. Desmond Mtula. 

Deputy Vice Chancellor- FAP Prof. Muturi Wachira

The Council Chair acknowledged the great work Prof. Ayiro and his two deputies done to bring the University where it is today. He particularly mentioned the large number of students admitted in September 2024; the largest intake the University has ever admitted.  

The Council Chair further revealed that that when the Council renewed contracts for the Vice Chancellor and his deputies, the performance contract document served as the reference point in their evaluation.  He also acknowledged that the Vice Chancellor’s evaluation of the DVCs was similar to the Council’s evaluation. 

Prof. Njoroge said the performance contract document will give direction to the top management as they perform their duties. 

“We have to develop a culture of doing it the Christian way, to the glory of God,” he concluded. 

As he prepared to sign his performance contract, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Laban P. Ayiro committed that he and his deputies will continue to live by God’s word, guided by what is written in the performance contract document. 

“We are committing ourselves to action; for us work is worship,” he said. 

Prof. Ayiro further appealed to the Daystar University community to live by the commitments they will sign in their performance contracts, so as to make Daystar University great. 

Mrs. Nyambura Musyimi acknowledged the five years of growth that Daystar University had witnessed.  She appreciated the VC and his deputies for the great work they had done in their first term.  

Deputy Vice Chancellor- ARSA, Prof. Faith Nguru

She called on the trio to take the narrow path, saying the lack of a clearly defined path will take one round in circles. She noted that performance contracting gives clarity on where one is going. 

Mrs. Musyimi further noted that the performance contract document is a measure of personal achievement. “Structures by themselves are worthless if they do not have integrity,” she said.    

The Chair of the Finance Committee of Council Mr. Desmond Mtula demystified the fear associated with performance contracting, saying that a PC is a document that everyone should walk around with for reference as they work. 

“Embrace it, make it a [live] document, and look at it every day to evaluate and see what you have not done,” he said. 

On her part, the Chair of the Performance Management Validation Committee, Prof. Martha Kiarie acknowledged the performance contract document as a basic blueprint of the aspiration and expectations of Daystar University for the year ahead, adding that the PMVC was happy with the VC and two DVCs because they exceeded the commitments they made last year. 

The Chief Manager Human Resource, Mr. Pius Muia lauded the high success rate of the 2023/2024 performance contracting process which achieved 92% staff compliance.   

Mr. Muia further clarified that this year’s performance contract focused on five key areas namely: 

1. Customer focus 
2. Employee capacity building 
3. Employee/employer relationship 
4. Promoting research, innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship  
5. Growth and expansion. 

Mr. Pius Muia, noted that following the signing by the Vice Chancellor and his deputies, the 2024/25 contracting process will be cascaded to Deans, Directors, Managers, Heads of departments, and rest of the staff. 

“The plan is to have everyone sign their 2024/2025 performance contract by mid-October,” he said. 

While giving the devotion, the University Chaplain Rev. Miano Weche invited the top University management to present their skills, knowledge and gifts to God, so that He can help them achieve the task ahead of them.