UASU, KUSU want Moi University to reinstate 900 sacked employees

Two trade unions representing workers in public universities are demanding the immediate reinstatement of all 900 employees at Moi University who were declared redundant.

Top officials from the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) have labelled the university management's decision as flawed and unprocedural.

Led by UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga and KUSU Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya, the unions have accused the university of making well-trained and skilled workers jobless without proper consultation with the respective unions.

Wasonga has called on the university to withdraw all dismissal letters issued to the employees and allow them to return to their jobs.

He noted that Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba had promised last November that academic staff would not be affected by the layoff exercise, yet 120 lecturers were dismissed.

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“We have professors, senior lecturers, and assistant lecturers being declared redundant while others remain. Students are still here, and we are informed that the number of students has increased. Who will teach them?” Wasonga questioned.

The union leaders are now requesting that the Moi University management explain the criteria used to declare these employees redundant to ensure fairness in the process.

Wasonga pointed out that it is absurd for the university to make such decisions when 13,000 students from various regions are scheduled to report in September.

He expressed concerns that some departments have been left without teaching staff, while others are operating with a minimal workforce.

This situation jeopardizes the education of students who are set to join the university in the coming months.

For instance, the entire staff of the Economics and Planning of Education department, including long-serving lecturers, have been sent home, a move Wasonga termed regrettable.

“Who will teach the learners pursuing mandatory courses in Economics and Planning when most of the faculty have been dismissed? Those remaining do not specialize in these subjects. We will not allow our lecturers to be overworked. We demand that management withdraw the redundancy letters before the situation spirals out of control,” he warned.

He also mentioned that the only lecturer teaching German at the university had been declared redundant while students are still enrolled.

He stated that with close to three schools offering French, only two lecturers remain, urging the university to meet the required student-to-teacher ratio to prevent lecturers from being forced to take on more than three units per semester.

The union representatives further claimed that the government has failed to hold accountable those responsible for mismanaging the university’s funds, allowing them to escape repercussions while dedicated staff face the consequences of alleged corruption.

Mukhwaya criticised the university for ignoring their requests for discussions concerning the crisis faced by university workers.

He dismissed the claim of a bloated workforce as the primary reason for the layoffs, instead attributing them to rampant corruption and poor governance.

“We are asking the acting Vice Chancellor to retract those redundancy letters sent to workers last week, or we will take legal action to seek justice for our hundreds of members,” Mukhwaya stated.

He highlighted that it is unjust for the university to dismiss hundreds of workers, citing a lack of funds, while simultaneously planning to open another branch in Baringo County.

Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Kiplagat Kotut, while launching phase two of the university’s green energy project, acknowledged the institution's challenges and promised to address them independently.

He stated that some of the measures taken to save the financially troubled university might be painful, but are necessary for ensuring its future.

“When we have our issues, some people believe we are heading for disaster. Some think that Moi University is dying, or that we ceased to exist a long time ago. We have challenges, but the most important thing is that we have recognised them and are on the path to finding solutions,” explained Prof Kotut.

He added, “We will not wait for anyone else to fix the problems at this university. As a community, we will do it ourselves. This process may be painful at times and might affect some of us, but if it is essential for saving everyone involved, then it is worthwhile.”