Hopes of stabilising learning at Moi University continue to fade after conciliation efforts to end the lecturers’ strike, which began last week, failed.
The striking lecturers have vowed to continue their industrial action, accusing the institution of failing to honour a return-to-work agreement signed in November 2024.
The strike, which began on August 22, stems from the university’s failure to implement the deal, with the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) demanding the payment of Sh10 billion in salary arrears and statutory deductions.
The union claims that despite Moi University receiving Sh500 million from the government to pay workers, the management disregarded the agreement.
On Monday, Uasu officials expressed regret over the administration’s failure to honor the 2024 return-to-work formula.
UASU Branch Secretary Busolo Wegesa accused the university of neglecting the agreement, saying the current management had adopted tactics similar to those of the previous administration, which worsened the situation.
“The main issue at Moi University is still governance. It is unfortunate that the government allocated Sh500 million to pay workers, yet the university chose to misappropriate the funds, using them for other priorities rather than salaries as agreed,” Mr Wegesa said.
The union has vowed not to engage in further conciliation until all demands in the 2024 deal are met, insisting that the lack of goodwill from the university is what led to the collapse of the latest mediation effort.
In response, the university management acknowledged financial challenges in implementing the monetary clauses of the November 2024 agreement.
Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Kiplagat Kotut yesterday explained that Moi University was grappling with historical debts, a ballooning wage bill and declining student enrollment.
“We are operating in the red and it is almost impossible to implement the monetary clauses of the deal. The university has a monthly wage bill of Sh450 million and much of our finances are consumed by historical debts and the aging workforce,” Prof Kotut said.
He warned that the strike coming during the admissions process for first-year students for the 2025/2026 academic year could damage the institution’s reputation and scare away potential students.
“The non-monetary aspects of the CBA have been implemented and it is irresponsible for the union to declare a strike at such a critical time. This could harm both the university’s reputation and financial stability,” he added.
During the 2024 agreement, Uasu secured Sh2.6 billion in cash and assets with an immediate release of Sh500 million. However, union officials allege the university diverted funds meant for workers’ pay to other projects, violating the deal.
“The money was meant to pay workers but instead, the university used it to pay suppliers contrary to the 2017/2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). As of now, the university owes its workers over Sh10 billion in salary arrears,” Mr Wegesa said.
The union further revealed that the university had failed to remit Sh4.6 billion in pension contributions and that lecturers have been unable to access health services due to the non-remittance of Social Health Authority (SHA) deductions for three months.
Organising Secretary Nyabuta Ojuki accused the management of prioritising redundancy over solving governance problems.
“The current leadership has done even worse than the previous regime. The situation has worsened since last year. Instead of addressing core issues, management is focusing on declaring redundancies,” he said.
The union’s chairperson Dr Richard Okero said the university was more concerned with paying suppliers than lecturers’ welfare.
“The situation at Moi University is worse than before. Lecturers are being listed with CRB, yet salaries and promotions remain unpaid. Despite our commitment to the return-to-work formula, the university has failed to honor its obligations,” Dr Okero said.
But Prof Kotut clarified that the government had released Sh1.5 billion to pay workers but the university was still struggling to generate internal revenue due to its financial constraints.
“We are using the funds to meet our wage bill, but historical debts remain before the Pending Bills Committee of the National Assembly. We ask the union to be patient as we await the outcome of those discussions,” he said.
The union, however, has insisted that lecturers will not resume work until all demands are met, including the payment of outstanding salaries for June and July 2025.
The union is also demanding a review of staff promotions and retirement age in line with the CBA, and the protection of workers’ fundamental rights and freedoms under the Constitution, particularly the right to union membership.
