Moi University has launched investigations into reports of non-remittance of employees’ deductions.
University council chairman Jenesio Kinyamario said the inquiry was as a result of a May 9 petition by the University Academic Staff Union.
“We have constituted a team to look into the claims,” Prof Kinyamario told the Nation on Tuesday.
He, however, declined to disclose when the team was expected to conclude its work.
Uasu wants a council-union meeting convened urgently to examine and act on the “rapidly deteriorating institutional financial health”.
The petition, signed by Moi University chapter secretary Jack Abok, Kenya University Staff Union branch secretary Azihemba Mbai and Mr Wilson Kemboi, a shop steward, demanded that the council investigate the non-remittance of third-party and other deductions meant to service loans, insurance premiums and savings with saccos.
“Nearly everybody at the university is affected. We demand that funds withheld by the university be remitted to the beneficiaries. Consideration should be made to reimburse penalties accrued from delays,” the petition added.
The union leaders also raised concern about unauthorised retention of pension dues since October 2015 and arrears of May 2014, amounting to Sh290 million.
“There can be no compromise on our demand that withheld funds with accrued interest be remitted to the pension scheme,” they said.
They were also disturbed about non-payment of medical bills incurred by the university, adding that hospitals in Eldoret no longer wanted to attend to staff.
The petition pointed out “inordinate procrastination and selectivity in payment” for tuition in the parallel degree programmes.
“A parsimonious spirit towards payment of external examiners and other service providers involved in supervision of post–graduate programmes, which spells a severe threat to quality assurance, as external examiners and those supervising pots –graduate students – pull out, should be addressed,” they said.
