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Thousands of students at the troubled Egerton University were yesterday left stranded as lecturers withdrew their services over claims of unfair labour practices by the institution’s management running close to three years.

The dons have been at loggerheads with the university council over several issues including unfair salary cut which currently stands at 57 per cent and non-implementation of the 2013-2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Yesterday, the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu), while launching their indefinite industrial action, accused the council of high-handedness and casual handling of critical education matters at the institution.

Uasu Secretary-General Constance Wasonga, while calling on the government to deal with the crisis at once, revealed that they will stage a protest tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Ministry of Education offices, Jogoo House.

According to Wasonga, there is a ‘growing cancer’ at the university management if not addressed in time, it will turn out catastrophic for the agricultural education giant institution which has nurtured millions of Kenyans.  Wasonga observed that the underfunding in public universities has reached fever levels presenting a national crisis in the education sector adding that they have suspended learning at the institution with immediate effect urging students to go home.

“If you are a serious don, you will only go to class once the union gives you permission. Learning here has been stopped until the same is declared otherwise, lecturers cannot be paid 57 percent. No public servant is earning that amount, it is demeaning,” said Wasonga. He reiterated that the union was not losing the battle to safeguard the interests of its members at the institution despite several strikes saying they had given the university management time to solve their internal problem which they have failed.  “For that reason, I want the university council to step aside because there is nothing they are doing, in fact we want them dissolved. Why should they be there, honourably the council members should resign or the government dissolves it,” said Wasonga.

Expressed anger

He insisted that there would be no reforms in public universities without the input of the union. The union’s voice, he further said, must be captured adding that he will be seeking avenues to have the dons paid directly from the Ministry of Education or by Treasury.

On her part Uasu national chairperson Grace Nyongesa expressed her anger and frustrations towards the university saying the institution had failed to address simple issues which have instead fallen on deaf ears. She demanded swift action.

According to Nyongesa, the strike will be a ‘mother of all strikes’ to send a message that the challenges must be resolved at the same time wondering why a civil servant is earning 50 percent of their salaries without reasonable explanation. “We do not want to talk about the merits and demerits of the cases in court but whatever that is happening at Egerton must stop. These are people who are working hard, we are not happy as a union, two years is a long time,” said Nyongesa.

Financial crisis

The news was however not received well by the students. They accused the management of engineering an artificial crisis to ensure no learning progressed at the university.

Timothy Mwenda, a student said since he, he has experienced learning disruptions every quarter of the year.

He said the students are facing a bleak future as labour deadlock between the management and lecturers continues. Last year, the university dons withdrew their services for close to four months in a bid to pressure the management to honour the CBA and pay cut amid a worsening financial crisis at the institution.