Recently, staff members at Moi University have resumed their strike, less than a month after agreeing to suspend the strike that began in August of the previous year.

In a joint statement by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), the Unions have instructed all their members to indefinitely suspend their services.

The Unions have attributed this decision to the university’s failure to comply with the terms agreed upon in the Return to Work Formula.,According to the statement, a meeting of all Members of Staff at Moi University resulted in the decision to immediately resume the industrial action that began in August 2024.

This means that staff are withdrawing all their services from the university, citing the employer’s failure to adhere to the Return to Work Formula.,University lecturers, represented by UASU, had previously agreed to return to work on November 23, 2024, after signing a return-to-work formula with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).

The return-to-work agreement included the government’s commitment to fully implement the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), valued at Ksh.9.7 billion, to be disbursed in three tranche.

Following the nationwide strike’s suspension, lecturers from Moi University had pledged to refrain from teaching until their demands were met, including the payment of Ksh.8.6 billion owed to them.

The reasons for the strike encompassed non-implementation of the 2021–2025 CBA, as well as outstanding debts dating back to 2016, such as unremitted loans, pensions, union fees, and other deductions.

Moi University owes its academic staff a substantial amount, including Ksh.4.2 billion from unremitted pension, Ksh.1.2 billion from unremitted bank loans, and Ksh.1.2 billion in salary arrears, among other outstanding payments.

Additionally, the university has not fulfilled obligations such as payments for benevolent funds, gratuity fees, life insurance coverage, and insurance premiums, amounting to a total debt of Ksh.1.6 billion to the lecturers.

This outstanding amount also includes salary arrears, as the staff have yet to receive their October 2024 remuneration.