Moi University: Donkeys Bought for Training, Not Farm Machinery.
Moi University has addressed circulating reports regarding its operations and finances. The administration refuted claims of delayed staff salaries, stating all payments are up to date through September 2024.
October salaries are scheduled for release this week, contingent upon staff resuming work. However, delays in statutory deductions before September 2024 were attributed to insufficient government capitation.
The university dismissed allegations of employing 1,800 ghost workers. It clarified its workforce includes 2,960 staff members: 821 teaching staff (102 on contract), 1,501 non-teaching staff (29 on contract), and 638 contract employees previously classified as casual laborers.
Challenges for 2016 Medical Students’ Graduation
The institution detailed challenges preventing the graduation of the 2016 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery cohort. These disruptions stemmed from external factors:
- Covid-19 Pandemic: Six months of interrupted learning.
- KMPDU Strikes: Three national strikes lasting 100 days (2017), 78 days (2018), and 100 days (2021).
- Internship Placement Strike: A 58-day strike from April to July 2024 by the Ministry of Health and KMPDU.
- UASU Strike: Ongoing industrial action since September 23, 2024.
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Collectively, these factors caused a 21-month interruption in the College of Health Sciences. The university announced remedial steps to ensure the students complete their studies by February 2025.
Agricultural and Income-Generating Projects
Responding to claims about purchasing donkeys due to a lack of machinery, the leadership explained the animals were procured for training purposes by the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, alongside cows, sheep, and pigs. The institution confirmed the availability of serviceable tractors for farm operations.
The university also highlighted its income-generation efforts, citing a 100-acre apple orchard planted in 2021. The first harvest in 2023 generated Ksh.300,000, with projections for increased production in subsequent years.
Moi University Vice-Chancellor Isaac Kosgei has been summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged fraudulent infrastructural projects valued at Ksh.2.19 billion. This is part of broader investigations into corruption and mismanagement at the institution.
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Additionally, the university is grappling with an escalating debt of Ksh.8.6 billion owed to lecturers since 2016. The debt includes:
| Item | Amount (Ksh.) |
|---|---|
| Unremitted pension | 4.2 billion |
| Unremitted bank loans | 1.2 billion |
| Salary arrears | 1.2 billion |
| Union fees | 85 million |
| Welfare society contributions | 100 million |
Dr. Paul Busolo Wegesa, Secretary General of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Moi Chapter, emphasized the debt’s adverse effects, urging resolution.
While Moi University acknowledges its challenges, the administration remains committed to addressing financial and operational issues to restore confidence in its leadership and operations.
Moi University: Donkeys Bought for Training, Not Farm Machinery.
