- Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga warned against the move saying it will make education more expensive.
- The unionists further blasted university management for declaring some lectures redundant.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
Universities staff have blasted an alleged state plan to allow private investors to take over public universities.
The plan was reportedly revealed by Trade CS Moses Kuria.
The three unions, Kenya Universities Staff Union, Universities Academic Staff Union and Kudheiha opposed the plan
Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga warned against the move saying it will make education more expensive.
Wasonga disclosed that the alleged 'private investors' will be hidden cartels in government.
“We know there is no investor who will come from any outside country. They are just the same cartels who have been disturbing us in the university sector,” Wasonga said.
Two weeks ago, CS Kuria said there is a need to privatise some universities in the country. Kuria said he is in talks with investors to partner with universities and make them better places.
"I'm talking to international investors who are willing and ready to come and partner with our universities to privatise some of the universities. I'm not saying all," he said.
Wasonga further dismissed Kuria’s statement that public universities have land lying idle.
Kuria suggested that the institutions should use the land in a meaningful way by investing in them.
“Some people walk in this country and they just see land they feel is underutilised so they want to come in and invest,” he said.
Kusu secretary general Charles Mukhwaya also warned against the move saying it's dangerous to the university sector.
Mukhwaya clarified that public universities are affordable to all Kenyans.
“The threat of privatisation and commercialisation is likely to further threaten the provision of quality public education leaving children or rural and urban poor behind,” he said.
If the proposal to privatise public universities sails through then it means the government will select private investors.
The investors would then pump in money either to be used in the development and paying pending bills.
Kenya currently has 39 public and 31 private universities.
The unionists further blasted university management for declaring some lectures redundant.
“How can you declare an educationist, somebody who is paid to think to be redundant?” Wasonga paused.
“We condemn and warn Kisii, Rongo, Moi and Egerton universities for leading in declaring staff redundant without stakeholder involvement,” Mukhwaya said.
In December, Egerton University announced plans to lay off its staff as a cost-cutting measure amidst a financial crisis.
The university issued the redundancy notice in a memo dated December 21, saying the decision was arrived at on the University Council's advice.
"Following the difficulties the university has undergone in meeting the full requirements for the staff salaries and other emoluments and benefits, the University Council on advice has reached a decision to declare staff redundancies across all cadres of staff in a bid to manage the wage bill and bring efficiency in delivering the University's mandate to its employees and customers," the memo reads in part.
The memo dispatched by the acting deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration and Planning Prof Richard Mulwa said the firing process will be conducted fairly and in accordance with labour laws.
The impending mass sackings came barely a week after VC Prof Isaac Kibwage and his 8-member university council were handed a 30-day jail term for contempt of court with an alternative of Sh100,000 fine.