Moi University staff cry foul over job cuts and unpaid deductions
Kenya University Staff Union, Moi University Chapter, said staff were being declared redundant without dialogue, only for their roles to be outsourced shortly after.
Union officials at Moi University have painted a grim picture of institutional collapse, telling MPs that unconsented job cuts, delayed salaries, and unimplemented Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) have left staff demoralised and services crippled.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Education Committee, the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), Moi University Chapter, said staff were being declared redundant without dialogue, only for their roles to be outsourced shortly after.
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The officials accused the university of undermining young and mid-career employees, warning that this trend was damaging succession plans and weakening the university’s long-term stability.
They said entire departments had been left without enough staff to function, with some operating with just one officer or none at all.
“Redundancy must not be used as a tool to punish or discriminate against staff. The welfare of workers is the foundation of academic excellence,” said MP Jerusha Momanyi.
The union also disclosed that Moi University had not remitted third-party payroll deductions since 2018, including pension contributions, SACCO loans, insurance premiums, and welfare funds.
They said this failure had plunged many workers into debt, with some already blacklisted by lenders or taken to court.
Documents tabled before the Committee showed that pending recoveries as of June 2022 stood at Sh8.6 billion, with the figure reportedly rising.
The officials warned that the situation had stripped staff of morale and posed long-term risks to their financial wellbeing.
The union further faulted the university for operating under an outdated 2012–2013 CBA, while three internal CBAs signed between 2013 and 2025 remained unimplemented. They said this had stalled promotions, widened salary gaps, and violated staff rights.
Committee Chair Julius Melly acknowledged the concerns raised, saying, “This Committee has taken a keen interest in resolving the issues affecting universities. We are particularly keen on supporting Moi University to ensure it can sustain itself and its staff.”
The Committee pledged to work with oversight bodies and the Ministry of Education to seek lasting solutions.
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