Court sides with lecturer in pay row against Methodist University

Kenya Methodist University

The main entrance to Kenya Methodist University (Kemu) in Meru town. 

Photo credit: File | Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group

A court has awarded a lecturer Sh235,000 as salary arrears owed to him by Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) for 117 hours of work.

Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Hellen Wasilwa directed KeMU to pay Mr Castro Momanyi Ondieki the amount for teaching services he offered the institution as a part-time lecturer.

Mr Momanyi moved to court on April 26 2019, seeking orders to compel the institution to clear his unpaid wages after teaching for a total of 135 hours at the university.

He told the court that he signed a contract agreement with the university for a part-time job to teach four units being BIRS-121, BIRS-222, BIRS-322 and BIRD-212 at the university's main campus.

The court heard that each unit was taught for 3 hours a session and that for each hour, the university was to pay him Sh2,000.

However, Mr Momanyi said that despite teaching for 135 hours the entire semester, KeMU only paid him Sh35,437 with his efforts to have them clear the balance bearing no fruit.

However, KeMU had told the court that it paid Mr Momanyi all his wages and denied owing him any more money.

Justice Wasilwa in her ruling noted that the university had failed to furnish evidence of payment, thus entering judgment in favor of Mr Momanyi.

She awarded the don Sh234,563 after subtracting the Sh35,437 that the university had already paid.

“I enter judgment for the claimant for Sh234,563 plus costs and interest at court rates with effect from the date of this judgment,” read part of the ruling.