Kesses Member of Parliament Julius Ruto has urged Moi University management to carry out its ongoing downsizing process in a humane and non-discriminatory manner. His call comes after the university recently issued redundancy letters to hundreds of staff members, sparking widespread concern among employees and stakeholders.
Speaking in Kesses, Ruto acknowledged that the university faces genuine financial challenges, particularly due to a ballooning wage bill. However, he criticized the manner in which the downsizing was implemented, terming it as lacking basic decency and compassion. “It is true that the institution is struggling with high personnel emoluments, but the way the downsizing exercise has been executed is inhumane,” he stated.
Ruto further lamented the lack of public participation, arguing that an open and inclusive approach could have helped mitigate the impact. “Had the management involved the stakeholders from the beginning, many employees might have volunteered to leave,” he added.
The MP appealed to the Cabinet Secretary for Education to ensure that the agreement made during his recent visit to the university is upheld. He emphasized that any restructuring should be aligned with national labor laws and principles of fairness.
Moi University cited overstaffing as the reason for the mass redundancy, attributing it to the return of staff to the main campus after several satellite campuses were granted independent charters. This led to a bloated workforce at the main institution, prompting management to take drastic action.
However, the redundancy exercise hit a legal snag after the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) filed a petition challenging the process. On Thursday, the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Eldoret, presided over by Lady Justice Maureen Onyango, ordered a suspension of the redundancy letters. The suspension will remain in place pending the hearing and determination of the petition.
As the legal proceedings unfold, stakeholders are urging Moi University to prioritize dialogue and transparency to ensure that any workforce changes are carried out justly and respectfully.
