No end to Egerton University crisis ahead of opening

The crisis at Egerton University may not end soon. Ahead of the new academic year which begins on January 10, lecturers have vowed to continue with their strike.

More than 600 lecturers at the financially troubled Njoro-based institution downed their tools in November after the university management failed to pay them the full benefits of their 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), including a pay rise.

This happened even after the government released Sh6.6 billion in 2020 for lecturers pay hike in 38 public universities to ease financial crunch in the institutions.

Uasu Egerton Chapter top officials led by its Chapter Secretary Grace Kibue said "this will be our defining moment and year of our struggle to fight for our rights."

The university is supposed to start the 2022/2023 academic year on January 10 but with the current stalemate, the opening hangs in the balance.

And in a new turn of events, the university management board has announced that it will not be able to pay full salaries to the striking dons ahead of the beginning of the new academic year.

The Prof Isaac Ongubo Kibwage-led management board is also facing another headache as its efforts to hold talks with the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha) Egerton chapters who are supporting the strike has flopped.

Pay full salaries 

Last month, the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Planning and Development Prof Richard Mulwa issued a notice that exposed the university's deep financial crisis. He said the institution will not be able to pay full salaries with effect from December 2021.

"This is to notify all staff that during the 562nd University Management Board meeting held on December 21, 2021, the financial situation of the university was assessed. It was determined that the university will not be able to pay full salaries beginning December 2021. Meanwhile, kindly note that the university has not received the capitation for December 2021," said the notice signed by Prof Mulwa on December 22.

However, Dr Kibue faulted the management saying withholding of its members' salaries "was illegal and warned that the union will not hesitate to proceed to court for legal redress."

She also blamed the management for its hard stance and failing to make any attempt to address the grievances through dialogue with  union officials.

"It bothers the dons and the entire university fraternity that the university management board seems not to have the skills, sensitivity or willingness to resolve the stalemate. This is despite Egerton University being one of the main institutions behind the realisation of pillar one of the Big Four Agenda on food security and several sustainable development goals," said Dr Kibue.

Intervene 

Uasu appealed to the government and other stakeholders to urgently intervene in the matter to rescue the financially troubled institution from imminent collapse.

"It is clear that the current management board is a threat to the survival of the institution," said Dr Kibue.

The official said the union is ready to hold a round table discussion with the management to resolve the stalemate and criticised the management for using unorthodox manoeuvres including escalated intimidation and arm-twisting of its members to end the strike.

"We're in a lawful and legally protected strike that shall continue until all our grievances are addressed. We're ready to meet the university management board to end the stalemate on condition that all our grievances will be addressed. We regret the inconveniences caused to students, their parents and the public at large," said Dr Kibue.

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