Egerton University Dons Threaten to Strike, Calls Machogu to Solve Varsity’s Financial Crisis
Lecturers at Egerton University have vowed to go on strike.
This follows the institution’s decision to issue layoff notifications in December of last year.
The dons announced via the Egerton section of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) that they will stop working if the university does not change its mind.
Grace Kibue, secretary of UASU Egerton, and Mwaniki Ngare, chairman of UASU Egerton, stated that the plans are ill-timed and unfortunate at a time when the university is struggling.
“The notice has come at a time when most of the lecturers have gone for greener pastures and most of them have been working for two years and they are surviving on half pay, it is terrible,” said Kibue.
According to Mwaniki, the organization has grossly mistreated its staff and made them the “laughing stock of society.”
“We have an employer who has injured workers and continues to injure workers, it’s unfortunate and we can’t allow this challenge to continue again,” he stated.
The officials urged the government to take action to send a new management team to the university to assist turn around the systems and ensure the institution’s survival.
As a result of the university’s severe financial difficulties, a court convicted a number of its top administrators for disobeying directives to pay employees’ salaries.
The Egerton Chapter of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) urged Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to solve the institution’s financial situation.
The union held a meeting with CS last year, but no resolution has yet been reached.
“The CS is fully aware of the challenges we’re facing. He promised to address the matter. However, since we presented our grievances to the CS we have not received any feedback,” said the chapter secretary-general Grace Kibue. ’
Last year, Mr. Machogu stated that the government will continue to support public universities, despite the continued hardships of Egerton university professors. The cabinet secretary stated that the government had already budgeted Sh50 billion for university education.
“Where are these billions the CS is talking about? I am owed more than Sh2.5 million in salary arrears. I don’t know whether I will ever be paid my accruing arrears,” lamented a professor.
Prof. Ngare Kariuki, chairman of the chapter, stated that if the management continues to disregard court rulings, the union may be obliged to withdraw its labor.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the university administration to pay professors their full salary, however, the judgment has not been implemented as dons continue to earn 60% of their income.
The two leaders spoke on Thursday in Nakuru City at the Nakuru Athletics Club at the union’s special General Meeting.
The union urged the institution’s administration to rescind a redundancy notice that was issued last year in an effort to lay off hundreds of employees.
“The management and the university council should resign as it has failed to address the financial crisis at Egerton University. Kenya has many competent people who can turn around the university,” said Dr Kibue.
“We’re asking the management and the council with all humility that they should resign and give a chance to other people to manage the institution and solve the Egerton crisis. We’re moving from one problem to another. Twice we have seen the management disobey court orders.”
Dr. Kibue said many employees have retired, while others have resigned because they are unable to deal with the financial situation. The institution’s staff has decreased from approximately 1,800 to between 1,300 and 1,400.
The union asserted that some sections lacked sufficient personnel and questioned the timeliness of the layoff notice.
The union stated that it will continue to exert pressure on the government to alleviate the suffering of the workers whose pay have been cut by 40% over the past two years.
Egerton University Dons Threaten to Strike, Calls Machogu to Solve Varsity’s Financial Crisis