Eldoret City witnessed renewed protests as over 4,000 lecturers and staff from Moi University took to the streets, demanding immediate payment of overdue salaries and the implementation of long-standing commitments in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The protestors, a mix of teaching and non-teaching staff, marched to the Uasin Gishu County Assembly to present their petition to Speaker Phillip Muigei and local Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), expressing frustration over seven years of unresolved issues.
“For seven years, Moi University employees have suffered. Today, we declare that the suffering ends. The management has been put on notice,” a representative of the employees stated during the demonstration, highlighting the persistent struggles of university workers.
The protestors accused the university management of forcing some staff to return to work without addressing the core problems. “No one will return to work until all issues are resolved. Management is keeping students on campus at their own risk. These students have been stranded for almost two months, using up their HELB loans and wasting time,” the representative warned.
Concerns were also raised over the welfare of students, as the protestors emphasized that no learning was taking place. “Parents believe their children are in school, but as of today, no learning is happening at Moi University,” the representative added, urging swift intervention from authorities.
The staff vowed to escalate their protests if their demands remained unmet, even threatening to march to Nairobi on foot. “We want to inform the President that we are heading to Nairobi. No one is listening to us. We’ve been to every office, and no one is paying attention,” one employee expressed, reflecting the growing frustration with the government’s inaction.
Moi University has been grappling with financial troubles for years, with staff frequently complaining about delayed salaries, lack of promotions, and failing to honor CBA agreements. Despite multiple negotiations between staff unions and management, little progress has been made, with workers accusing the administration of continuously ignoring their grievances, leading to the current deadlock.
This protest represents the culmination of years of dissatisfaction and broken promises. Moi University, one of Kenya’s largest public institutions, has been struggling with declining student enrollments and reduced government funding, worsening its financial crisis. The delay in disbursement of funds has only deepened the problem, leaving employees to bear the brunt of the mismanagement.
While smaller protests have occurred in the past, this recent demonstration marks a significant escalation in the workers’ impatience. With no clear resolution in sight, the future of Moi University’s operations and the education of its students remains uncertain.
