Moi University and the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) signed a return-to-work formula on Saturday, November 30, marking an end to a three-month strike.
The development follows mediation by the Ministry of Education, which managed to bring the two differing parties to a compromise. The mediation was led by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba.
The strike, which had led to learning at the university being brought to a complete standstill, is now set to usher in learners and lecturers back to the university.
The lecturers went on strike complaining of poor working conditions and accusing Vice Chancellor Isaac Kosgey of mismanagement.
UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga in a past event.
Photo
UASU
The staff had on Monday, November 25, vowed to continue with their strike despite UASU striking a deal with the government to the end the national lecturers, citing that the university was yet to address their demands.
According to Busolo Wekesa, the UASU Secretary General Moi University chapter, the deal to end the national strike did not in any way affect theirs.
”We began our strike on August 26 and we will continue because we have our demands that we gave to the management of Moi University and we want to let you know that we have not received any solutions to them,’’ Busolo told the media.
”So the industrial action of Moi University staff will be ongoing up to when we will get a solution. Just to let Kenyans that there were two strikes, a national one and ours here,’’ he added.
The strike led to both staff and students staging demonstrations at the institution in a rare show of unity against the university management. The university responded by closing down the institution and issuing suspension letters to over 1,000 academic staff for failing to show up to work.
Kosgey, the embattled VC was subsequently summoned by the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged graft in Ksh2 billion projects in the troubled university. He was set to appear to the EACC offices in Eldoret for questioning into alleged misappropriation of funds at the University.
The mess at Moi University managed to capture the attention of President Ruto who blamed the university’s woes on internal governance issues. He added that he had issued instructions to alleviate the situation.
“The challenges in Moi University are related to internal administrative and governance issues which I have given firm instructions that should be addressed,” he asserted.
Moi University Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kosgey at a past function. PHOTO/MediaObserver.