Former ICT Permanent Secretary Prof Elijah Bitange Ndemo has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi.
In a letter dated May 5, 2025, Nairobi University Council Chairperson Prof Amukowa Anangwe said Ndemo will assume the role after concluding his current role as Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium.
“Prof Elijah Bitange Ndemo is in the process of handing over his current position as Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium in Brussels before he relocates to Kenya,” said Anangwe.
During the transition period, Prof. Francis Jackim Mulaa will step into the role for six months starting May 5, 2025.
“Your acting appointments shall therefore cease on the date Prof Ndemo assumes office as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the UON,” part of the statement reads.
Before assuming his current diplomatic assignment, Ndemo served in various sectors including education, governance and entrepreneurship.
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He served as a distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences at the University of Nairobi.
He also served as the Chairman of the Kenya Distributed Ledgers and Artificial Intelligence Taskforce.
Throughout his career, Ndemo has been actively involved as an advisor and board member for various organizations, including the MIT Artificial Intelligence Policy Forum (MIT AIPF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Other positions he previously held include Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communication.
During his tenure, the professor facilitated several groundbreaking ICT projects that have had a transformative impact on Kenya’s technological landscape.
Some of these projects include the establishment of undersea cables, open data initiatives, and other technology advancements that have established Kenya as a leading technology hub.
Ndemo’s influence extends globally as he has served as a Senior Advisor to the UN’s Global Pulse, focusing on Big Data initiatives. He has also contributed his expertise to the UNCDF’s Better than Cash Alliance and UNESCO’s Innovation Council.
Additionally, the professor has contributed as a columnist for the Daily Nation and Business Daily.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in management in Information Systems from the University of St. Thomas Minnesota.
He also holds a PhD in Industrial Economics from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
