Moi University Workers Threaten Full-Blown Strike as Salary Talks Stall

Workers at Moi University have threatened to escalate their ongoing go-slow into a full-blown strike after negotiations with the institution’s management failed to resolve their grievances. The more than 3,000 staff members, led by the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), have been staging a go-slow for over a week, protesting delayed salaries and other unresolved issues.

The go-slow, which has disrupted activities at the university’s main campus and the College of Health Sciences, is a response to what the unions describe as long-standing financial mismanagement and neglect by the university’s administration. The unions are demanding the immediate payment of all delayed salaries and the full implementation of the 2017-2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which they claim has been ignored by the university.

Unresolved Salary Crisis

The crisis at Moi University has been brewing for some time, with workers expressing frustrations over repeated salary delays. According to KUSU Secretary Mary Chepkwemoi, the situation has become untenable, with some employees going unpaid for several months. “We have not been paid July salaries, and many on contracts have not been paid for eight months now,” she lamented. The failure to remit salary deductions for loan payments and other financial obligations has exacerbated the workers’ financial distress, with some employees reportedly facing auctioning of their assets due to the university’s failure to meet its commitments to financial institutions.

The unions have also accused the university’s management, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kosgey, of failing to provide a clear timeline for resolving the salary crisis. Despite a meeting held last Friday between the university’s council, management, and UASU officials, union leaders claim that no substantial progress was made. UASU Moi University Chapter Chairperson Nyabuta Oyuki confirmed that the workers would continue their go-slow until all their grievances were addressed. “We will remain out of work, and unless we get our salaries paid in full as per the 2017 CBA, we will not be back,” Oyuki stated.

Workers’ Frustrations and Calls for Intervention

The workers’ frustrations have reached a boiling point, with some even calling for the resignation of Prof. Kosgey and the entire university council. They argue that the current management has failed in its mandate to steer the university through its financial difficulties, and they are now petitioning President William Ruto to intervene.

Chepkwemoi expressed deep concern over the financial hardships faced by the university’s employees, noting that the situation had led to severe consequences for some workers. “The officials said the workers were in heavy debts and that some of them had died because of financial frustrations caused by the university,” she said. The unions are urging President Ruto to ensure that new leadership is installed at Moi University, warning that the institution is on the brink of collapse if the current administration remains in place.

On Tuesday, the workers held demonstrations at the main campus’ medical school in Eldoret to protest the salary delays. Despite the growing unrest, Moi University Council Chairman Dr. Humphrey Njoroge downplayed the severity of the situation, claiming that most employees were still on duty. He acknowledged the financial challenges facing the university but insisted that they were not unique to Moi University, as other public universities in Kenya are facing similar difficulties.

Conclusion

As the go-slow enters its second week, the situation at Moi University remains tense. The threat of a full-blown strike looms large, with workers demanding immediate action from both the university’s management and the government. The unresolved salary crisis and the broader issues of financial mismanagement have put the university’s future at risk, and the outcome of this standoff could have significant implications for the institution and its stakeholders.