Moi University has indefinitely suspended its learning activities due to an ongoing staff strike over unpaid salaries and financial mismanagement.
The institution, through a statement released on Thursday, October 3, 2024, announced the immediate closure of all its campuses, directing students to vacate the premises.
The Vice-Chancellor’s statement indicated that the university had been facing mounting pressure due to industrial action by staff members.
“The University Senate in a Special Meeting held today resolved to suspend teaching and learning activities for the 1st Semester of the 2024/2025 Academic Year as a consequence of the industrial action of staff and subsequent student unease,” the statement read.
The situation has escalated after staff members accused the university management of misusing funds and failing to remit statutory deductions, including pension and loan repayments.
Workers lamented that their payslips reflected deductions that were not remitted, leaving them in financial turmoil.
One staff member explained, “Moi University deducts pension and loans which do not reflect in the banks. We’ve raised this issue for years, but no action has been taken.”
The strike, which has been ongoing for over five weeks, has also highlighted broader concerns regarding the institution’s financial management. In September, Vice-Chancellor Isaac Kosgei faced public outrage after it was revealed that Ksh 30 million had been spent on constructing a gate, even as staff payments were delayed.
Lecturers have held several protests in Eldoret town, carrying banners that decried half salaries and delayed payments.
International students have been left in a state of uncertainty, with the university advising them to liaise with the Dean for further guidance.
Meanwhile, students residing in the university’s halls of residence were ordered to vacate immediately, as tensions within the institution continue to rise.
