Lecturers at Moi University have vowed to continue their strike, accusing the institution of failing to honour a return-to-work formula signed last year following a three-month industrial strike.

The Uasin Gishu Chapter chair, Dr Okero Richard, speaking on behalf of the staff, said the issues that triggered last year’s strike remain unresolved, leaving workers with no option but to resume industrial action.

“The Moi University academic staff are still on strike because the return-to-work formula we signed has not been honoured by the University Council. We are back to the very issues that led us to down tools last year,” he said.

The grievances include the lack of a medical scheme for the past three months, non-remittance of staff loan deductions – leading to blacklisting by financial institutions – delayed pension payments for retirees, and failure to remit group life insurance premiums since 2017, leaving over 80 families of deceased staff uncompensated.

Dr Okero added that lecturers continue to work under outdated terms of service. “We are still operating under a 2012–2013 CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), which provides commuter allowances that cannot meet today’s fuel costs. Most staff live around 35 kilometres from Eldoret town and cannot commute on 2012 rates,” he said.

The striking staff reiterated that they are ready to resume duty once the management implements last year’s agreement. They urged the University Council to act swiftly, warning that continued inaction would jeopardise teaching, research and community service.

Dr Dancun Mukhwana, Acting Branch Secretary of UASU, Moi University Chapter, echoed the concerns, accusing the Council of disregarding signed agreements. He noted that some employees due for retirement had been granted an additional four years of service under the deal, but the Council had failed to implement it.

He also criticised the issuance of suspension letters, commonly referred to as redundancy letters, despite a court ruling declaring the process unlawful.

“If you expelled employees without following due process, how do you expect them to return to work without reversing the very same process through which they were dismissed?” he posed.

Dr Mukhwana urged management to resolve the stalemate, warning against intimidation and threats targeting union members.

“They should know that we are dealing with an elite squad. We stayed out for 98 days before, and we are ready to surpass that mark if need be. If the Council cannot address our issues, we will take it right to their doorsteps,” he said.

He added that the National Secretary-General has already petitioned the Ministry of Education to convene an urgent meeting through the Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. He reassured staff that the union would not allow threats of termination of service to stand.

UASU chapter organising secretary Nyabuta Ojuki clarified that the strike is not about fresh demands but about unpaid salaries and arrears dating back to 2020 – and, in some cases, nearly eight years. These, he said, are tied to the return-to-work formula and portions of gross salaries never disbursed, leaving staff with only net pay.

“This strike is not about fresh demands. We simply want to be paid what we are owed, some of it dating back nearly a decade,” Nyabuta said, adding that Moi University’s Sh8.6 billion debt is owed directly to staff, unlike other universities whose debts involve government agencies.

He said that while the union has sought dialogue, the university management has remained silent, leaving staff with no choice but to stand firm in their demands despite intimidation and threats.

– By Fredrick Maritim & Ekuwam Sylvester