The financially battered Egerton University woes continue to deepen days after it was re-opened to resume the new 2022/2023 academic year.
The distraught lecturers say they face hard times meeting their daily needs as they continue surviving on half salaries.
Egerton debt has hit the Sh. 9 billion mark, and has insufficient funds to run its operations. This debt includes pending bills as of June last year.
In a press briefing, University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Egerton Chapter Secretary Grace Wanjiru Kibue said the financial crisis at the Njoro-based campus had forced several teaching staff and researchers to fall into depression.
“Our social, emotional and material lives have been upended. Creditors have seized our members’ properties. Many cannot even fuel their vehicles,” Dr . Kibue said.
“Our members are psychologically troubled. This is dangerous as it reduces productivity in the classroom.
She added that a lecturer who died of depression was buried last week. According to Dr. Kibue, the don could not service his loans.
“Lecturers are moving to cheaper rental houses while many families are in turmoil as their breadwinners have no steady income. I have transferred my children from private to public schools,” she said.
A lecturer who sought anonymity told nation that, ’’I can’t service my bank and sacco loans, insure my family or seek treatment at a reputable hospital. Private hospitals have blacklisted Egerton university lecturers. My life cover insurance elapsed ages ago,” a professor told a local daily, Sunday Nation.
Another lecturer told the daily that the government is to be blamed for the current financial crisis witnessed at the Egerton campuses.
“I have realized that one can easily die while shouting himself hoarse about his problems. Nobody sees Egerton as a national crisis. Uasu has presented grievances to Njoro MP Charity Kathambi, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and Education CS Ezekiel Machogu. Our memorandums have been received at State House. The President knows what is going on,” she said.
On Saturday, the lecturers, under their umbrella body University Academic Staff Union (UASU), announced their intentions to down their tools in the first week of February this year.
In a strike notice addressed to the chairman of the Egerton University Council Hukka Wario, Uasu said it was forced to issue the notice following the university’s refusal to comply with the court order on May 30, 2022.
The court order directed the university to pay the lecturers 100 percent salaries from November 2021.
“Concerned that the university has failed to comply with the said orders, further noting that the council had been found guilty of being in contempt of the said order, the members resolved that besides seeking further contempt proceedings, they shall totally withdraw labour with effect from February 6, 2023, if the university will not have complied with the court order,” said Dr. Kibue.
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The union had earlier called for the resignation of Prof Isaac Kibwage as Egerton Vice Chancellor and the council members accusing them of inability to lead.
“We are asking them with all humility to step aside and hand over to other people who can bring new ideas and save Egerton from sinking,” said Dr. Kibue.
