This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
Published on May 8, 2020, Egerton University is facing one of its worst financial crises, with staff salaries being affected.
Joint university workers' unions at Egerton University have rejected a proposal by the institution to pay staff half of their April salaries.
The university has not paid its more than 1,900 employees their April salaries, citing a financial crisis and a government funding shortfall.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Rose Mwonya clarified that the university was not planning to reduce staff salaries by half, but rather pay the workers based on 70 per cent capitation from the government.
Prof Mwonya explained that the institution was waiting for the 70 per cent capitation from the government, but it had not yet been received.
She added that the university was also facing a 30 per cent shortfall in funding, as it had no students to pay school fees and other small revenues at the dining hall.
Prof Mwonya said she has written to the Principal Secretary University Education and Research to intervene on behalf of the university on the financial crisis.
The union representatives from University Academic Staff Union, Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers said the institution must pay workers their full April salaries.
They argued that the university should seek a bailout from the government rather than cutting staff salaries.
