Crisis deepens at Moi University as strike disrupts reopening

Confusion continued to persist at the troubled Moi University yesterday just hours after the institution announced immediate resumption of learning.

The decision to immediately reopen the Eldoret-based university and resume learning on Monday was met with more trouble after lecturers and other cadres of workers held protests to stop reception of students who arrived, ready for classes.

On Thursday, Moi University Senate approved the resumption of studies signaling the return to lecture rooms in a public institution that closed its doors for students more than a month ago.

The Eldoret-based University was abruptly closed on October 3, two months after lecturers and non-teaching downed their tools to protest delayed pay and what they claimed was poor management of the country’s second oldest institution of higher learning. During a meeting on Thursday, Moi University Senate approved the resumption of learning on Monday November 11.

But lecturers and other cadres of workers under the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) declared that they would only resume work if their demands are met.

Unmet demands

Moi University lecturers were already a month into their strike when dons from all public universities announced their nationwide strike on September 18, a work boycott that ended on September 26 after the striking trainers signed a return-to-work formula with the Ministry of Labour.

And yesterday, they vowed to continue with the strike despite the decision by the Moi University Senate to order resumption of teaching and learning.

Moi University’s Uasu branch secretary Jeremiah Nyabuta said they will only resume work when their demands are met.

“The students are already here and they are being received, but the demands by lecturers have not been met. We can only resume work when our demands are met,” said Nyabuta.

Uasu Chapter chairman Richard Okero said a meeting to deliberate on demands made by staff should give a way forward before workers resume duty.

Okero said the University must have a new council by yesterday.

“From today, we are expecting a new University Council. The Ministry of Education is here. We are expecting that they will come to present to Moi University workers the university council,” the unionist said.

He added: “A large university like Moi should not go down because of the selfishness of a few individuals. The money approved by Parliament should come to safe hands because it is workers’ money. We want people who value the interests of workers.”

“No one should claim that they are championing the interests of the students while ignoring those of the staff.”

The workers have been pushing the University to honour 2017 - 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and disbandment of the current university council for failure to address their concerns.