Awino (Suing as the Administratrix of the Estate of the Late Professor Fredrick Otieno) v Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology & another (Cause 512 of 2019) [2025] KEELRC 1836 (KLR)
The bottom line
#Kenya's Employment Court ruled a fixed-term contract ends on its expiry date automatically, but a university's dismissal of a professor without reason or hearing was unfair.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Key legal issues
#Non-renewal of the Vice Chancellor fixed-term contract
The contract lapsed automatically on 30 November 2018; the non-renewal was not an unfair termination and the 'superfluous' termination letter had no legal effect. No legitimate expectation of renewal was established.
The contract had a fixed term running its full course. Fixed-term contracts terminate automatically on the expiry date and carry no expectancy of renewal. Although the deceased performed well and was eligible for reappointment, the Council's appraisal was required for the renewal decision, and none favourable to him existed, so the expectation was not objective or legitimate.
Existence of employment as Professor of Civil and Structural Engineering
The deceased was appointed Professor of Civil Engineering Grade XV on 21 January 2015 on permanent and pensionable terms; the Respondents' fraud allegation was unsubstantiated and their alternative pleading was evasive.
The Respondents pleaded alternatively (no contract; or unlawful contract), amounting to evasive pleading. An advertisement, interviews and an appointment letter were unrebutted. The fraud allegation was grave yet unsupported by any investigation report or minutes. The Council's internal report corroborated the appointment, and the alleged lack of statutory particulars was cured by the Terms of Service Document.
Fairness of the summary dismissal from the Professor position
The dismissal was substantively and procedurally unfair: no reason was proved and the mandatory procedure under section 41 was not followed.
Section 43 placed the burden of proving reasons on the employer, which was not discharged, rendering the dismissal unfair by operation of law. Section 41's mandatory procedure (notification, hearing, consideration) was not followed - a point conceded by the Respondent's witness - so the dismissal was also procedurally unfair.
Reliefs
Reliefs tied to the Vice Chancellor role (save gratuity) were declined; reliefs for the Professor role were awarded, plus contractual gratuity as Vice Chancellor.
Since the Vice Chancellor contract ended by effluxion of time, notice pay, section 49 compensation and remuneration for the unserved term were refused. Gratuity was contractual and unchallenged. For the Professor role, the court awarded four months' compensation, one month's notice pay under section 36, and 48 months' unpaid salary, excluding house allowance.
Legal principles established
#- A fixed-term contract automatically terminates on its specified date unless novated, and carries no inherent expectancy of renewal.
- The burden of proving a legitimate expectation of renewal rests on the employee, who must show clear, unambiguous representation inducing a rational, objective expectation.
- An employer bears the legal burden under section 43 of the Employment Act to prove the reasons for termination; failure renders the dismissal unfair by operation of law.
- Evasive pleading on a material fact results in the adversary's pleadings and evidence on that issue being deemed untraversed.
Court orders
#- 1.A declaration that the dismissal of the deceased from his employment as a Professor in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering was unfair
- 2.Compensation pursuant to section 49(1)(c) of the Employment Act of four months' gross salary, Kshs. 600,000/-
- 3.Salary for the period 21st November 2015 to 1st December 2018, Kshs. 7,200,000
- 4.One month's salary in lieu of notice, Kshs. 150,000
- 5.Gratuity per the deceased's employment contract for the Vice Chancellor role, Kshs. 13,839,850.80
- 6.Costs of the suit to the Claimant
- 7.Interest at court rates on the compensation, salary and notice awards from the date of judgment till full payment
- 8.Interest at court rates on the gratuity award from 30th November 2018 till full payment
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Employment and Labour Relations Court jurisdiction under the Employment Act, 2007 (sections 35, 36, 41, 43, 45(2) and 49(1)(c))
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Awino (Suing as the Administratrix of the Estate of the Late Professor Fredrick Otieno) v Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology & another (Cause 512 of 2019) [2025] KEELRC 1836 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). Statement of Claim dated 7th August 2017 (cause number not stated in judgment). Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelrc/2025/1836/eng@2025-06-12
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.