Moi University lecturers have downed their tools just a day before the institution is set to admit first-year students, throwing the start of the academic year into uncertainty.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 20, Busolo Wegesa, Secretary of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Moi University Chapter, accused the university management of failing to honour an existing return-to-work agreement. According to Wegesa, the management has not implemented any of the 25 clauses in the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), despite the government releasing Ksh500 million to address the grievances.
“We are not demanding any salary increment but simply what belongs to us under the return-to-work formula signed with the university management,” Wegesa stated. He further revealed that more than 900 lecturers are currently unable to access health services through the Social Health Authority (SHA) due to unremitted statutory deductions.
The lecturers also cited unpaid salaries for June and July 2025, which they say directly contravenes the terms of the CBA. On August 13, the union issued a seven-day strike notice highlighting four failures by the university administration, which culminated in Wednesday’s industrial action.
Despite the lecturers’ move, Moi University management has assured students and stakeholders that academic programmes remain unaffected. In a statement released on Friday, August 15, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kiplagat Kotut insisted that all teaching, examinations, research, and preparations for the reporting of first-year students would continue as scheduled.
“We reiterate that teaching, examinations, research, and all academic programmes are continuing as scheduled. This includes preparations for the reporting of our first-year students on Thursday, August 21, 2025, which will proceed as planned,” said Prof. Kotut.
The assurance is, however, at odds with UASU’s stance, with the strike threatening to paralyze key academic activities. The impasse now leaves students, parents, and guardians anxious as the standoff between lecturers and the administration intensifies.
The unfolding situation highlights the broader challenges faced by public universities in Kenya, where delayed funding and unfulfilled CBAs continue to strain relations between staff and management.
