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Learning at the Maasai Mara University could be paralysed from Next week if the university fails to honour a court decision ordering the institution to implement the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Staff Union.

In a presser at the university in Narok, officials of the University Staff Union (KUSU) Narok branch threatened to lead the 600 workers on the streets next week over high taxation from the National government, the delayed appointment of the university council by the Ministry of Education and lack of top leadership in the university among other concerns.

In a statement signed by David Kiptum (Branch secretary), Galfen Omuse (Branch Secretary) and Ezekiel Karia (Branch Secretary) among other officials accused the university of suspending implementation of the CBA 2017/2021 two years ago forcing the union to move to court.

“The court ruled in our favor in all three cases against the university management but a few individuals have crafted a way of making millions from this case by ensuring they appeal the judgement,” the statement reads in parts.

“In the process of these appeals, this individual made money through kickbacks from the university lawyers, per-diems, travel allowances and mileage which translated to a new mode of corruption in the institution,” the statement added.

Omuse claimed that the university administration had spent over Ksh30 million in defending the case despite the union demanding Ksh62 million.

“We, therefore, call on the Ministry of Education, Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC), Director of public prosecution to carry out a forensic Audit on university accounts on illegal transfer of funds into individual accounts, lawyer accounts and contractors,” the statement added.

The workers further raised concern over the university leadership which they say since 2019, had had leadership challenges over the ‘Mara heist’ because of incompetence, and unreliable leadership that had run down the university.

“The current acting vice-chancellor, Prof. Joseph Chacha, and acting vice chancellor of Administration Finance and Strategy James Nampushi have been overrun by cartels operating within the university and are unable to give required leadership,” Omuse claimed.

They further claimed that the university has been operating for several months without a University council causing the institution’s operations to stall due to a lack of approvals and policy directions.

On the over-taxation by the National government, the Union said the introduction of the housing levy is a plan by the government to strangle its workers by forcing more taxes on an already dead pay slip.

“Like for us in this university, we have never received any promotion or reviews for the last 13 years and this tax would be disastrous and would cause more harm to the staff members,” Omuse added.