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Moi University main campus and its satellite campuses were deserted after teaching and non-teaching staff withdrew their services in protest yesterday.

The most hit were students who were left stranded as learning and other core activities came to a halt as the more than 3,000 university workforce took to the streets in Eldoret town.

Four land cruisers  carrying a team of anti-riot police in combat gear gave the striking workers an escort as they made their way to the town’s central business district while holding placards and twigs as they chanted anti government slogans.

Earlier on, the enraged workers under their respective labour unions converged at the university’s Eldoret Guest House where they addressed the media.

Led by University Academic Staff Union Moi university chapter Secretary Busolo Wegesa and Kenya University Staff Union university chapter Secretary Mary Chepkwemoi vowed to boycott work until their grievances are addressed by the university management.

“We have already served the university management with notice of withdrawing our service and going forward there will be no worker at the campus until they hear from their respective union leaders,” stated Wegesa.

The workers want the university to honor the 2017 and 2021 collective bargaining agreement and remittance of statutory deductions in full if they expect them to return to their respective work stations.

They are also demanding the disbandment of the university council for being unresponsive to their plight, noting that they have suffered for the last three years without any intervention from the embattled council members.

Wegesa further raised the issue of promotions at the university saying the creterio applied was skewed in favor of those well connected to the top management.

“The promotions at the university were being done based on how well one is connected to the management and not your work experience, performance and academic qualifications,” he said.

Chepkwemoi faulted the university for refusing to pay the more than 700 casual workers their dues for the last six months despite offering their services from Monday to Saturday.

“We have scores of the casual workers who have retired without being paid their dues running into millions of shillings and even some have died due to stress,” she said.