Paul Wainaina, the suspended vice-chancellor of Kenyatta University, is set to be reinstated today.

According to government and university sources, Prof Wainaina's return follows the signing of a consent to withdraw court cases by the parties involved in the dispute that led to his departure.

The VC was suspended on July 12 as a result of a dispute between him and the university council, on the one hand, and State House, on the other, over the sub-division of the university's land for use by the Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) to set up a World Health Organization logistics hub — the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention — as well as the Kamae squatters.

He had previously been suspended for 30 days "pending investigations" into allegations of "acts of misconduct," but court cases had delayed resolution of the matter.

The council was also disbanded, and a new one was appointed to facilitate the land transfer. However, subsequent court cases and the general election derailed the plan.

Since Prof Wainaina's suspension, Prof Waceke Wanjohi has served as acting VC. Crispus Kiamba, a former vice chancellor at the University of Nairobi, will preside over the new council.

Prof Wainaina's return will represent yet another reversal of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's decisions.

Last month, President William Ruto appointed Prof Wainaina to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, which has been collecting public feedback.

The suspended VC and the council had opposed the subdivision of the land, claiming it was not in the best interests of the university.

According to a letter written by former Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, KUTRRH, a scion of the university that now operates as a parastatal, was to receive 180 acres, WHO 30 acres, ACDC 10 acres, and Kamae squatters 190 acres.

The WHO intends to build a Sh600 million emergency center to support its regional operations.