Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) has called  for an immediate audit of public universities over what it termed as corruption and mismanagement of resources.

Speaking yesterday, (KUSU) Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya listed five universities: Nairobi, Moi, Egerton, Kenyatta and Kisii universities which he said the union has proved beyond doubt have been engaging in massive corruption and called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to commence investigations.

Mukhwaya said the recent retrenchment of staff at Kisii and Egerton universities was related to mismanagement of funds.

“The financial constraints currently faced by public universities is not due to bloated staff but theft, poor management of resources and utter corruption being carried by those who have charged the responsibilities of running these institutions,” said Mukhwaya.

In the last few weeks, several universities massively sacked staff with vice-chancellors saying they had to so as revenues shrunk due to a reduction in the number of students enrolling for parallel programmes.

At least 204 employees of Kisii University on October 6 received letters indicating their employment contracts have been terminated.

According to KUSU, Kisii University has mismanaged close to Sh66 million allegedly used during field supervision and teaching practice during Covid-19 pandemic.

“One wonders during lockdown which schools were operating? Which students were out for field supervisions?

When a university siphons Sh66 million purportedly to supervise students then you can see what we are talking about. That it is just massive corruption and misappropriation of funds,” said Mukhwaya.

Further, Mukwaya urged the government to suspend with immediate effect the vice-chancellor John Akama and instate a special financial audit to establish the true amount of funds misused.

Besides, Kisii, the union expressed confidence with Egerton University Council to send vice-chancellor Rose Mwonya on terminal leave pending retirement.

“She is the one responsible for financial downturn at the university that once was the prestigious university of agriculture in this region.

The university is now a shell yet she has the audacity to insist on being in office even when things have turned down,” said Mukwaya.

Another university, which the union wants to be probed with immediate effect, is Moi University where despite the government giving Sh75 million to pay working at the teaching and referral hospital the money was looted under unclear circumstances.