Egerton University top management has embarked on arm-twisting gimmicks and fearmongering among its staff for its own survival following an avalanche of accusations on the manner the institution of higher learning is being run.
Kibwage
As part of the strategy to send fear and chills down the spine of suffering staff, plans are in the offing to sack lecturers and scrap five-degree courses in what is termed the university’s latest restructuring move to save face.
The vice chancellor Isaac Kibwage says the move will enhance financial stability of the institution and end frequent strikes over delayed salaries.
Degree courses to be scrapped are said to have failed to attract enough students to sustain them despite having hired lecturers for them. However, an insider told Weekly Citizen that the said courses are being handled by rebellious lecturers, some of whom are members of local Uasu chapter.
Five degree programmes are on the chopping board. Lecturers in those departments will have to exit and those qualified for other departments retained further signaling that those in good books with management will be retained as outcasts shown the door.
The move is happening as the university, we have established, is hiring new staff some with even questionable academic papers.
Egerton receives Sh185 million funding from the government and raises Sh26 million from other sources, including tuition fees paid by students. Its payroll currently stands at Sh240 million per month and other operational costs.
The institution current debt is at a whopping Sh9.925 billion.
The lecturers have announced the mother of all strikes in the first week of February this year.
“This is to serve you the notice of intention to withdraw labour with effect from February 6 2023, if the university will not have complied with the court order,” the notice read in part.
According to the notice seen by Weekly Citizen, the industrial action is on account of the university’s failure to comply with a court order issued on May 30 2022, directing it to pay 100 per cent salaries as at November 2021.
Dennis Odero
The notice comes as students reported back following December holiday break.
Egerton University Students Council chairman Dennis Odero is a worried man as the strike looms likely to spread to other public universities in a similar situation.
Egerton Uasu chapter secretary is Grace Kibue alias GK is the lady that is giving the top management sleepless nights.
