By Anne Kachalan
Lecturers and staff at Moi University have vowed to return to work on Tuesday, January 16, if they receive their December salaries by the end of today, as promised by the university management. If the payment is not made, the staff has declared that they will continue their industrial action, which has disrupted academic activities.
Busolo Wekesa, the Vice Chair of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Moi Chapter, confirmed the staff’s stance, stating, "Workers are paid their salaries after one month, and we are waiting to be paid so we can return to our duties as lecturers and workers. We have not been paid our December salaries, so we have declared that we are going back to industrial action with effect."
The lecturers and staff are also demanding the immediate implementation of agreements outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for 2021-2025. These agreements are meant to address key issues affecting the university workforce, and the staff has expressed frustration at the delayed implementation.
In addition, the staff voiced concerns over the university's ongoing financial challenges, which they believe have been exacerbated by certain management projects. One such project, a donkey breeding initiative, has been criticized by the staff, who argue that it is not a priority at this time. "Before carrying out any project, you need to conduct a visibility study to determine how it generates income. The problem in this university is engaging in projects that siphon money away," Wekesa stated.
The university's financial difficulties are also linked to a lack of proper communication from the management. The staff had a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education on Saturday, as well as with the university’s management, where they were assured that their salaries would be paid by Monday. However, the failure to deliver on this promise has led to growing dissatisfaction among the staff.
Wekesa also pointed out the communication issues within the university management, stating, "There is a big problem in the Moi University management in terms of communication. After the signing of the return formula in December, there was no communication or any response to our inquiries until January 7."
Despite the challenges, Wekesa acknowledged the potential of Moi University but stressed that the current management structure was hindering the achievement of the university's vision. "Moi University is a great institution, but the management, as it is right now, will not achieve the vision it is supposed to achieve," he admitted.
The staff's industrial action continues to impact the university’s operations, and both the lecturers and management are under pressure to resolve the issues quickly to avoid further disruptions to academic activities.