Moi University closed indefinitely following staff strike

Teaching and non-teaching staff of Moi University demonstrate along the streets in the campus in Eldoret. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Moi University's main campus in Kesses, Uasin Gishu county, has been closed indefinitely following the staff strike which started on Monday.

Through a memo addressed to all students dated October 27 and signed by the Deputy vice-chancellor in charge of Academics, Research, and Extension, Prof Isaac Kimengi, the university indicated it would suspend activities in the institution until further notice.

“At its special meeting held on Wednesday, October 27, the senate resolved to suspend teaching and learning activities at the main campus indefinitely due to industrial action by the university staff which has affected university operations,” read part of the memo.

Students have been directed to vacate the hostels and leave the university premises by Thursday noon.

In another memo, it was announced that the closure would only affect the main campus, while all the satellite campuses would remain operational.

On Monday the university staff went to the streets to raise concern over their delayed salaries and failure by the institution to implement the 2017-21 Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA).

The employees through their unions Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Education Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) vowed to continue with their strike until their grievances are heard.

They claimed that there were issues of delayed review and promotion of staff over the years.

The lecturers claimed that the university had failed to pay supervisors and external examiners, paralysing the post-graduate programmes in the institution. They claimed that the university lacked basic resources like pens and printing papers, making it difficult for the lecturers to teach.

They said they have on several occasions tried to seek audience with the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Isaac Kosgei, over the matters, but all have been neglected.

Prof Kosgei however claimed that the employees needed to be patient as their challenges were being addressed.