Moi University dons start strike citing 25 demands ignored by management

Lecturers at Moi University have downed their tools, demanding payment of delayed June and July 2025 salaries and implementation of agreements previously signed with management.

The University Academic Staff Union Moi chapter says the university has failed to honour the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement and a return-to-work formula signed on November 30, 2024.

Uasu chapter secretary general Dr Busolo Wegesa said the formula contained 25 clauses that lecturers expected to be implemented.

“They have ignored all that we agreed, and we have decided we will not engage in futile negotiations as we continue to suffer,” he said.

According to the union, the institution has more than 1,000 lecturers and the strike is expected to paralyse learning. Wegesa further claimed that money previously allocated to ease staff challenges had not been used as intended and accused the university of failing to remit over Sh1.4 billion in pension contributions.

“Our members are left working without medical cover, promotions, or retirement benefits. At Moi University, employees are left uncertain about their future,” he said.

Uasu vice chairperson Linda Khaemba said lecturers felt humiliated in front of their students.
“We wonder what message we are giving young people when they see their lecturers suffering without dignity. It is becoming harder to stand before them and promise a brighter future,” she said.

The union issued a seven-day strike notice on August 12 and insists it will not return to work until all demands are met.

In response, vice chancellor Prof Kiplagat Kotut invited Uasu officials to a meeting on Friday in Nairobi. A session earlier scheduled for Tuesday was postponed due to what the VC’s office called competing official engagements.

Despite the industrial action, Kotut assured students and parents that learning would continue uninterrupted.
“The university recognises and respects the concerns raised by Uasu. The university council and management are actively engaging with the union, the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders to resolve the issues,” he said in a statement.

He emphasised the institution’s commitment to “amicable solutions that protect staff welfare while safeguarding teaching, examinations, and research.”

The VC added that preparations for the reporting of first-year students on August 21 would proceed as planned. He expressed optimism that ongoing talks will yield a resolution and thanked stakeholders for their continued support.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The Moi University strike underscores the recurring financial struggles in public universities, where staff unions often accuse management of neglecting signed agreements. At stake is not only staff welfare but also the credibility of institutions charged with shaping Kenya’s future workforce. The impasse risks eroding morale among lecturers while sending mixed signals to students about the value of higher education. While Uasu frames the strike as a fight for dignity and fairness, the university leadership stresses continuity and dialogue. The outcome of these negotiations will signal whether industrial harmony in higher education is achievable or remains elusive.