Egerton University lecturers now want their salaries paid in full, or else...

Egerton University lecturers have continued to pile pressure on the management to pay them full salaries as ordered by the court, threatening to lay down their tools next month otherwise.

In a statement to newsrooms on Friday after a Special General Meeting (SGM), the dons under the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) cited refusal by management to obey previous court orders saying they would be forced to strike to compel the institution to pay their dues.

"Concerned that the University has failed to comply with the said order, 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 6th February 2023 if the University will not have complied with the court order,” stated the notice by UASU Chapter Secretary Dr Grace Kibue.

Addressing the press in Nakuru on the same say, the union also pushed for Vice Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage’s resignation.

Dr Kibue said that the dons have been left struggling to meet their daily needs with the 50 per cent pay they have been getting in the last three years.

"The first issue is disobedience of court orders…you have now disobeyed two. One was to pay 100 per cent, and the court has since declared our salaries unconstitutional and unlawful," she said.

"The second was the order suspending our strike which said that we should sit together and iron out our differences. Instead of doing that, they are issuing letters of disciplinary." 

The union has blamed the university management board and council for their woes saying that the leadership has failed to commit themselves to find a solution.

“It is very unfortunate that someone injures you and his complaint is that you are crying,” UASU Chairperson Mwaniki Ngare said.