Moi University on Thursday handed out over 1,000 suspension letters to its staff affiliated with the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) whose members have been on strike for three weeks now.
Confirming the suspension, UASU branch Secretary Ojuki Nyabuta stated that most of their members received suspension letters signed by Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration Professor Kirimi Kiriamiti.
The UASU official further added that the union was barred from accessing the University with orders to the security guards not to allow the striking staffers in.
As a result, UASU members drawn from the university held a meeting outside the university gate. They vowed not to be cowed and maintained their strike was still on until their demands were met.
“We have received the suspension letters and are blocked from entering the main campus of the university," UASU branch secretary Ojuki Nyabuta said.
Attempts by the University’s management to reach an agreement with UASU officials did not bear any fruits as the striking lecturers failed to show up. The industrial action by the university dons paralysed learning at the institution which reopened last week.
Earlier, Moi University Vice Chancellor Isaac Kosgey had sent out a memo indicating that the institution would open its doors on November 11.
Ojuki, in defence of failure to attend the meetings, noted that it is only the university council that has the power to hold meetings with striking dons.
“The management is not our employer. The law says we are employed by the council which is the one with the mandate to negotiate with us and hence could not attend illegal meetings with management,” Ojuki asserted.
A week earlier, the parliamentary education committee held a crisis meeting in a bid to address troubles that have beset the university. The committee recommended the institution reach a pact with the striking dons.
It comes as the nationwide strike by lectures enters its third week after they downed their tools on October 29. Lecturers are demanding to be paid all their salary-related dues amounting to over Ksh9.7 billion, which the government holds they have released 4.3 billion which UASU has rejected.
