Moi Lecturers Begin Fresh Strike After Fallout With Govt

Moi University is bracing for a new wave of protests after academic and non-academic staff decried the lack of the university council to meet their end of a return-to-work agreement signed in December.

Speaking to the media on January 13, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Moi Chapter secretary Wegesa Bosulu stated that despite their return to work, they had yet to receive their December salaries and the council had breached several other agreements.

“We agreed that all these would now be corrected and on that basis, we return to work ao as staff we carried out our part of that bargain. We resumed work, we ensured that there was a graduation but sadly for staff, Moi University council has not upheld its part of that return-to-work formula,” he noted.

“As we speak today, this is the 13th day of January, Moi University staff have not earned their December salary and for us, that is a breach of that agreement. There are many other articles in the agreement which we can confirm Moi University has breached.”

This development comes barely a month after the staff agreed to return to work after negotiations following a three-month strike that paralysed learning at the institution.

Last year in October, the university was closed following students’ unrest as a result of the university dons’ strike over poor working conditions.

In a bid to salvage the situation, Vice Chancellor Isaac Kosgey recalled the students on November 11, a feat that was unsuccessful as the lecturers refused to resume.

Among the reasons they cited for their decision were delayed salaries and the inevitable failure of the university council to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Their strike faced further backing when the nationwide UASU strike began the same month, prolonging the already lengthy strike.

On November 30, UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga announced the suspension of the strike and urged all academic and non-academic staff to get back to work immediately.

“I urge the dons of this University to report to work on Monday so we can create a program to make up for the lost time,” he stated.

Education CS Julius Ogamba, who presided over the signing thanked the unions for reaching an agreement and promised to help restore the institution to its former glory.

“Signing the Return-to-Work Formula marks a significant step in restoring normalcy at Moi University,” Ogamba said.

“The crisis at Moi University is a wake-up call. University managers must embrace transparency and accountability to ensure decisions positively impact future generations.”