More than 800 employees of the cash-strapped Moi University face the sack as part of the cost cutting measures to streamline its operations and reclaim its lost glory.
The university management has issued termination notice to employees across all departments due to what it has attributed to financial constraints, occasioned by dwindling students’ enrolment among other factors.
The Acting Vice Chancellor Kiplagat Kotut confirmed that 892 employees among them about 120 lecturers who are members of the University Staff Union (Uasu) have been issued with termination letters in the staff redundancy exercise.
“Although the restructuring process could be painful, it is aimed at reclaiming the lost glory of the university. It is regrettable that we are currently totally dependent on the government to manage our operations and the reorganisations will make the university self-sustaining,” explained Prof Kotut.
He disclosed that the student numbers have dropped from 48,000 in 2015 to the current 21,000, making it a challenge for the university to meet its financial obligations including payment of employees’ emoluments.
Prof Kotut said the management will engage the affected employees and their union representatives in accordance with the law, in a move aimed at retaining staff that can sustain its operations.
The university issued the termination letters on Wednesday and directed the affected employees to clear with the respective departments.
“We regret to inform you that due to financial constraints currently facing the university, a decision has been made to implement a right-sizing exercise, which we have carried out in compliance with Section 40 of the Employment Act, 2007 and the provisions of the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement,” stated a memo signed by Prof Loice Maru, Ag Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Planning and Strategy.
The employees were issued with 30 days’ notice and that they will be paid all terminal benefits in line with the Employment Act, 2007 and relevant Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“Take note that your final payment will be processed and made available to you in your usual bank account. We kindly request that you return any university property in your possession by your last working day, to facilitate a seamless clearance process as stipulated in your employment contract,” added the notice.
But Uasu has filed a separate case seeking to stop the layoff of its members. The union, through lawyer Titus Koceyo, filed the case under certificate of urgency at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi, arguing that the planned redundancy process does not comply with the employment laws and guidelines.
The matter came for mention before Justice Maureen Onyango on Wednesday and the university asked for 14 days to negotiate with the Uasu officials. However, when the parties left the court, some lecturers were served with redundancy notices.
“An analysis of breaches on your part leads to a conclusion that the intended redundancy is solely occasioned by your failure to comply with the laws and guidelines,” Mr Koceyo said in the suit.
He pointed out that the institution was yet to inform the union of the criteria used to identify staff to be affected by taking into account their seniority, skill, ability and reliability as required by section 40 (1) (c) of the Employment Act.
The decision comes three months after a new management team was appointed to salvage the financially troubled institution to reclaim its lost glory.
The university management has in the past defended the impending staff redundancy arguing that it has been necessitated by a reduction in revenue as a result of decline in student enrolment and the ballooning wage bill.
“We hereby give formal notice of an intention to declare redundancy affecting a number of employees who are members of your union.
The details of the employees that shall be affected and the proposed timeline for the redundancy process will be communicated to you in due course,” stated the notice of intention to declare redundancy signed by Prof Kotut in April.
The Uasu moved to court last month challenging the termination process and the matter came for mention on Wednesday and the university asked for 14 days to negotiate with the union over the matter.
The university has however proceeded to issue redundancy letters to its staff in line with the restructuring plans announced earlier this year with unconfirmed report indicating that about 900 staff across all departments could be affected by the process.
“Uasu has taken this matter with up as a priority. The matter came for mention on Wednesday at the Employment and Labour Relations Court,” said Mr Busolo Wegesa, the Chapter Secretary noting that they are in consultation with their lawyer who will proceed to court to apply for the university to be restrained.
The Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) has termed the process as unwarranted noting that it will subject its members to further socio-economic challenges.
“As far as we know, there are other avenues the management can source additional funds to sustain its operations without necessarily sacking the workers. In any case the employees cannot be blamed for the declining student enrolment rate that that contributed to the shrinking revenue,” said Bob Odhiambo Ng’ura the Kusu, Moi University Branch Chairman.
Some 324 workers on contract basis were two months ago issued with dismissal letters due to what the management have attributed to reduced workload occasioned by the drastic decline in student enrolment rate.
The university management attributed the decision not to renew contract for casual workers to decline in student numbers, closure of non-viable campuses, reduced exchequer funding due to implementation of differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) in computing the recurrent capitation and rising cost of personnel enrolment due to National Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) that have not been fully funded.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba appointed Prof Noah Midamba the new council chairman after President William Ruto promised to constituent a committee to evaluate scale of crisis facing the university and recommend long lasting solution.
Others are Prof Ronald Wasike, Dr Mercy Nyambura Kanyara, Dr Edwin Sambili and Anne Weceke Makori as members of the university council.
“We have a plan to rebuild this university in the next one year to achieve its greatness. We are focusing on students, faculty and staff apart from sustainability and power of innovation,” disclosed Prof Midamba.
He explained that the priority of the council is to get the university back to its track adding that the process can be painful at the start but will eventually yield transformative results.
“The role of the university is teaching, research and community-creating knowledge to help people. Ideally the ratio of teaching and research to support staff is 70 to 30 per cent but what we currently have is 30 to 70 ratio and that is what is killing our public universities,” added Prof Midamba.
He disclosed that the affected qualified lecturers will be re-hired once the university stabilizes its operations.
