In 2004, the University of Nairobi Council Sub-Committee headed by Dr. Betty M. Gikonyo was created to consider the possibility of launching an Alumni Association of the University of Nairobi. UONAA will be mandated to reach out to other alumni to sustain their interest and support for their alma mater through fundraising and by forging partnership with other organizations and institutions.

On February 5, 2005 the University of Nairobi Alumni Association (UONAA) was launched thus repealing the University Statutes XXXVIII from Convocation to Alumni Association by the then Minister of Education, Prof. George Saitoti (late). Dr. Betty M. Gikonyo was appointed as the first Chairperson who has spearheaded the Association till date assisted by 11 members of the Board and the first Administrator Mr. Bernard D. Njuguna later replaced by Mr. Johnson Ireri Kinyua in 2012 assisted by an Administrator, Mrs. Jane Mogaka. Later the Association members elected Mr. Isaac Awuondo as its chair assisted by 11 members of the Executive Committee. After Mr. Njuguna, Ken …..become the Executive Director and the current secretarite head is Mr. Morgan Kiptum as Director assisted by Ms Lydia Akaranga As the Administrative Assistant and Mr. Juvenalis Khamasi as the Senior ICT Officer and Ms Immaculate … as the Secretary. The Executive Committee is mandated to provide guidance and direction to the Secretariat and chapters and hold an annual general meeting with the members. An annual calendar of events is developed and quarterly meeting dates with set agendas and approved at the Executive Committee. There are sub committees that assist in the running of the Association i.e The Finance Committee, Publicity & marketing committee, Research Committee, Membership and registration committee. A new UONAA constitution was unveiled in 2018.

The Association has about 250,000 alumni of which 4,500 alumni have been registered as members. The Alumni Association has 47 Chapters based on discipline or location. Every Chapter shall have a 10 member committees that meet regularly to design, strategize and implement on the chapters activities and plans. The chapters’ activities are featured regularly in the Alumni Newsletter. The Chapter committees’ members also play an active role in fundraising and resources mobilisation especially the two alumni flagship projects i.e. Alumni Centre Project and Scholarship and Research Fund. The Alumni Centre Project aimed at bringing the members together to network, mentor and coach the students and interact with faculty members. It will also be an income generating project through the hire of conference, workshop, meetings, guest rooms, recreation facilities to the corporate world whose surplus will be used to develop an Endowment Fund for long-term sustainability of alumni programmes. To achieve this, the UONAA is always looking for donors and partners. The Scholarship fund started in 2010 and to date 27m has been given to bright and needy students in various disciplines at the University of Nairobi to cater for tuition fees, accommodation and personal effects. It is hoped that this fund will finance students from Bachelors to PhD levels and support faculty members with research grants once the kitty started receiving flow of funds. The selection of beneficiaries is done by the scholarship committee headed by the Vice Chair and the other members of the EC, the finance department of UON and the Dean of students’ office. The Alumni Association is situated at Kolobot Drive off State House Road off Arboretum Drive.