Moi University closed indefinitely as workers’ protests intensify

Moi University has indefinitely shut down all its campuses following protests by the institution's workers.

In a memo issued on Thursday, Vice Chancellor Isaac Kosgey confirmed that the university's Senate had decided to suspend academic activities for the first semester of the 2024/2025 academic year due to the ongoing industrial action by staff members, which has caused unrest among students.

"The university Senate, in a special meeting held today, Thursday, 3rd October 2024, resolved to suspend the teaching and learning activities of the 1st Semester 2024/2025 Academic Year as a consequence of the industrial action of staff and subsequent student unease," Kosgey said.

He further instructed that all students must vacate the university premises with immediate effect.

"This is to announce the closure of the university with immediate effect," the notice read, adding that students should leave both the university and its halls of residence immediately.

Kosgey also noted that international students should seek further direction from the dean of students and clarified that the reopening dates would be communicated later.

The decision to close the institution comes amid growing tensions due to workers’ grievances.

On Thursday morning, anti-riot police officers were deployed in Eldoret town to disperse the institution’s students protesting the disruption of learning caused by the lecturers' strike.

The officers used teargas to break up the demonstrations as students, who had been marching towards the central business district, were forced to return to campus.

The students expressed frustration over the stoppage of academic activities, calling for leaders to intervene and resolve the stalemate so that lecturers could return to work. Many students said they were idling on campus due to the prolonged strike and were eager to resume their studies.

The unrest follows a Wednesday demonstration by university lecturers and other staff members in Eldoret, where over 4,000 workers marched through the streets demanding the payment of delayed salaries and the implementation of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

They presented a petition to Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker Phillip Muigei, urging local and national leaders to address their grievances.

Despite the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) calling off the strike last week after signing a return-to-work formula, UASU branch deputy secretary Nyabuta Ojuki said their demands remained unmet.

According to Ojuki, the university’s management had failed to remit over Sh5.5 billion in pension contributions and Sh1.2 billion deducted from employee bank loans.

Speaker Muigei, after receiving the petition, pledged to address some of the issues at the county level and escalate others to the national government.

UASU chapter secretary Wekesa Busolo had called on President William Ruto to intervene, warning that the ongoing crisis could lead to the collapse of Moi University if urgent action is not taken.