Moi University row deepens as UASU turns up pressure on acting VC Kiplagat Kotut
By Sharon Atieno, July 6, 2026The crisis rocking Moi University has taken a fresh twist, with the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) demanding a public apology from Acting Vice-Chancellor Kiplagat Kotut over remarks branding lecturers as “parasites”, even as the university comes under renewed parliamentary scrutiny over its mounting financial troubles..
Lecturers demand apology
Addressing the media in Eldoret on Monday, July 6, 2026, UASU officials said the remarks were made when the university management appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education on Thursday, July 2.
The committee had summoned the university’s management to explain the institution’s financial position and the implementation of earlier parliamentary recommendations on governance, accountability and procurement reforms.
Reading the union’s statement, Chapter Secretary Robert Oduori described the remarks as “unfortunate, uninformed and irresponsible.”
“The people implementing academic programmes should not be insulted. Lecturers are central to the existence of any university,” Oduori said.
The union further accused the acting management of creating a hostile working environment for deans, heads of departments and other members of staff.
According to UASU, Moi University’s long-running challenges stem from governance and leadership issues rather than lecturers.
Staff crisis grows
The union said the university is grappling with an acute shortage of academic staff across several departments.
It cited the Department of Mental Health in the School of Medicine, which reportedly has only one lecturer, and the Department of Pathology, where two lecturers are handling three broad areas of specialisation.
UASU also claimed that some lecturers teach classes of more than 1,000 students and, in some cases, have been forced to buy teaching equipment using their own money to sustain learning.
During its appearance before Parliament, the university disclosed that it has accumulated pending bills amounting to Kshs9billion and requires an additional Kshs1.9billion in recurrent funding for the 2026/27 financial year.
The union further said lecturers are owed salary arrears totalling Kshs1.25billon, alongside unpaid pension contributions, bank loan remittances and other financial obligations exceeding Kshs500M.
UASU has appealed to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba to intervene by facilitating the settlement of staff dues, appointing substantive university managers and restoring industrial harmony at the institution.
Among its key demands is a public apology from Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kiplagat Kotut over the alleged remarks directed at lecturers.