Panic grips Egerton varsity staff over looming job cuts
Egerton University council chairperson Dr Luka Hukka Wario speaks during a virtual graduation ceremony at Njoro campus on July 31. The institution plans to retrench 400 staff.
What you need to know:
- The Vice-Chancellor Prof Rose Mwonya said the institution has about 1,700 workers who include 500 academic staff and nearly 1,200 non-teaching staff.
- Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said 70 per cent of public universities staff should be academic and 30 per cent non-academic.
The looming job losses at the Egerton University have sent panic among staff at the Njoro-based campus. The university’s management is waiting for government’s approval before it can begin the massive retrenchment process.
This is the second massive retrenchment at the university after the government set aside Sh1.2 billion in the fiscal year 2001/2002 which saw 501 workers sent home.
As the reality of job losses at the premier agricultural university becomes clear by the day, what is giving the workers sleepless nights is the criteria to be used in the exercise. The university seeks to trim its annual wage bill of nearly Sh2.4 billion.
500 academic staff
The Vice-Chancellor Prof Rose Mwonya said the institution has about 1,700 workers who include 500 academic staff and nearly 1,200 non-teaching staff.
During a recent virtual graduation ceremony at the university, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said 70 per cent of public university staff should be academic and 30 per cent non-academic.
A source at the university said the management will use the retrenchment criteria used in 2002 to send the employees home.
“It will not be based on age factor and indiscipline cases alone. Some staff aged 65 might be very useful than young staff who were pushed by their godfathers in the system and have not been useful to the university. The retrenchment axe may fall on them," said a top university management official.
The workers want employees who will be affected to be consulted either individually or through their trade unions-the Universities Academic Staff Union, Kenya Universities Staff Union and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Education Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers.
The union representatives have dismissed the proposed retrenchment as "an illegitimate exercise” and accused the university of hiding under Covid-19 crisis to sack their members without following labour laws.
400 employees
The Dr Luka Hukka Wario led university council is planning to send 400 employees home before the end of this year.
The university is expected to set up a committee to develop retrenchment guidelines before implementing the council’s proposals.
Among the critical issues the university must address before rolling out the retrenchment programme include clearing all pending worker's dues such as uniform allowance, overtime, golden handshake, training allowances, severance package, and unpaid leave among others.
Prof Mwonya said that the university will involve the government in the retrenchment exercise.
“We shall not wake up one day and tell the employees to pack and go. We shall be guided by government procedures of retrenchment to make the exercise compliant to the labour regulations,” said Prof Mwonya.
