Broke Moi University to conduct mass staff layoff
Mass layoff of staff is looming at Moi University, the institution has indicated. In a letter dated July 4, 2020 and addressed to the University’s Academic Staff Union (UASU) leadership, by Vice-Chancellor (VC) Isaac Kosgey attributed the impending redundancy of staff to the institution’s financial difficulties.
“Towards this end, the university is considering a reduction in staffing levels that will call for compulsory redundancies,” the the letter reads in part.
The VC added that the university has been facing difficulties in meeting its wage bill obligations. He added that over the years, the university’s wage bill has been increasing and has currently taken up to 70 per cent capitation from the Exchequer.
Last year, the 2020 report from the Auditor-General indicated that the university’s revenue for the year ended June 2020 was Sh7.8 billion against an expenditure of Sh8.3 billion, hence recording a deficit of Sh504 million.
“This is due to reduction in income from privately sponsored students and reduction in students qualifying to join universities. It has led to the deficits in the university’s financial operations,” the report reads.
The report also shows that the employment of staff at the university is skewed in contravention of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission Act (2008).
The university has been facing strikes from the academic and non-academic staff over the delayed implementation of national and internal collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
Staff promotions and non-remittance of statutory deductions to financial institutions are some of the issues that have led to strikes which disrupted teaching and learning activities.