The industrial action by Moi University lecturers entered its third week on Monday, as the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU) Eldoret branch rejected an offer by the university’s council, terming it “too little.”
The striking dons have vowed to continue with the strike, saying they will not resume their duties until all their demands are met.
According to UASU Eldoret branch secretary-general, Busolo Wekesa, the union has been negotiating with the employer since Thursday last week, but the offers on the table have failed to impress the members.
“We have received the offers and are deliberating with the employer, but so far the staff have said that it is too little and they will not accept it unless they are offered something better,” Dr. Wekesa said.
The union members were physically going through the offers on Monday before making further deliberations on the way forward.
UASU Moi University branch chairman Richard Kero said while they have been working tirelessly, sacrificing their time to recover the syllabus after the past strike, the university has “failed them.”
“Some of our members are suffering due to the burden of loans that have seen them placed on the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) listing, as many go home without a pension,” Kero said.
The lecturers, who went on strike on August 20, have said they won’t resume their duties until a return-to-work formula signed with the university council on November 30, 2024, is implemented.
The union demands that salaries for June and July 2025 should be paid as per the negotiated 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement rates.
Additionally, it wants the clauses on review and promotion of staff and retirement age in the negotiated 2021-2025 National Collective Bargaining Agreement to be fully honoured.
Moi University has in recent years been under a management crisis, which has resulted in the loss of funds and strikes.
The government fired the 41-year-old institution’s old council and installed a new one in January as part of efforts to rescue it.
However, it appears that the new council still has a lot of work to do to restore normalcy to the institution.
The strike has caused anxiety among students, who are worried about the impact on their academic calendar.
The university’s management has not made any official statement on the strike, but sources close to the institution say that efforts are being made to resolve the impasse.
The UASU Eldoret branch has accused the university of failing to honour its commitments to the staff, leading to the current crisis.
“We are not just fighting for ourselves, but for the future of this institution,” Dr. Wekesa said. “We want a solution that will ensure that our members are not exploited and that the university is run professionally.”
The strike is a blow to the university, which has been struggling to recover from years of turmoil. The institution has a reputation for producing some of the best graduates in the country, but the current crisis has raised concerns about its ability to deliver quality education.
As the strike continues, students and staff are anxiously waiting for a resolution to the impasse.
The university’s council has a daunting task ahead of it, as it tries to balance the interests of the staff and the students, while also ensuring that the institution is run efficiently. One thing is certain, however: the striking lecturers will not back down until their demands are met.In a related development, the government has been urged to take decisive action to address the challenges facing Moi University.
The institution’s troubles have been attributed to poor management and a lack of vision, which have led to a decline in academic standards and a loss of credibility.
The strike has also raised concerns about the welfare of lecturers in the university sector. Many lecturers have been struggling with low salaries, poor working conditions, and a lack of job security, leading to a brain drain in the sector.
The Moi University strike is a symptom of a larger problem that affects the entire university sector. Unless the government and university managements take decisive action to address the challenges facing lecturers and staff, the sector will continue to suffer.
In conclusion, the strike by Moi University lecturers is a wake-up call for the university’s management and the government to take immediate action to address the challenges facing the institution.
The lecturers’ demands are reasonable and should be met to ensure that the institution is run professionally and that students receive quality education.
