Ogamba fires entire Moi university council, appoints new team
The entrance to Moi University's main campus in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County on February 8, 2024.
What you need to know:
- He disclosed plans to overhaul the management and allocate adequate resources to salvage the financially troubled institution.
- “We will put in place an efficient management team and allocate sufficient resources so that Moi University can thrive like other public universities,” President Ruto said last Friday.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has fired all Moi University council members and appointed a new team to oversee the restructuring of the institution.
Mr Ogamba has revoked the appointment of Dr Humphrey Kimani Njuguna as the council chairman and replaced him with Prof Noah Midamba, two weeks after President William Ruto promised to constitute a committee to evaluate the scale of the crisis facing the university and recommend a long-lasting solution.
Prof Clara Samiji Momanyi, Christopher Khaemba, Eusilah Jepkosgei Ngeny, and Susan Amlango Aletia were among those whose appointments were canceled.
In a Kenya Gazette notice dated January 17, Mr Ogamba appointed Prof Ronald Wasike, Dr Mercy Nyambura Kanyara, Dr Edwin Sambili, and Anne Weceke Makori as members of the new council.
While on a tour of his home county of Uasin Gishu two weeks ago, Dr Ruto promised to constitute a committee to evaluate the scale of challenges facing Moi University.
He disclosed plans to overhaul the management and allocate adequate resources to salvage the financially troubled institution.
“We will put in place an efficient management team and allocate sufficient resources so that Moi University can thrive like other public universities,” President Ruto said last Friday.
The management released Sh113 million in salary arrears last week to avert the resumption of work boycott by the teaching and non-teaching staff.
The workers had threatened to strike again over the contentious Sh8.6 billion salary and statutory deductions debts.
The university further paid December salaries in full, a day after the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and the Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) warned of another strike accusing the management of flouting the return-to-work pact.
“I can confirm that the salary arrears for the three October, November, and December have been wired to the workers’ accounts while the December salaries have been paid in full, which is a relief to our members,” said Nyabuta Ojuki, Uasu Chapter Secretary.
The unions are pushing for the implementation of the remaining 24 clauses in the return-to-work signed in November 2024 which ended the more than three months strike that had disrupted learning at the university.
“What the union now wants is the implementation of enhanced salary rate under the 2021/2025 deal,” added Mr Njuki.
The Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are probing financial and managerial mismanagement at the cash-strapped institution.
