Moi University Mass Layoffs Underway.
Moi University has announced a mass layoff exercise in response to the institution’s ongoing financial difficulties.
According to a notice issued by varsity Vice-Chancellor Isaac Kosgey, the institution has been experiencing difficulties in meeting its wage bill, and the university has been forced to declare some positions redundant.
Prof. Kosgey explained that the staff rationalization exercise is part of the University’s efforts to recover from the financial crisis, which has had a significant impact on operations.
According to an internal memo released on Monday, July 4, the university has recurring expenditures such as the wage bill, which consumes approximately 70% of the budget, making it difficult to run the institution.
According to Prof Kosgey, with the continued decline of revenues, the University is unable to sustain the growing wage bill, and as such, it has become necessary to undertake the right-sizing of the University’s and its operations’ human resource sustainability.
“This is, therefore, to notify you of the impending redundancy of staff due to the continued strain by the University to fully fund its wage bill, and to align the human resource to the existing workload,” he added.
In 2021, a university insider revealed how the institution went bankrupt in two years, amassing over Ksh5 billion in debt.
Humphrey Njuguna, Chairperson of the Moi University Council, admitted to the public institution’s financial woes, revealing that operations at the facility began to suffer two years ago after the closure of satellite campuses and the cancellation of certain courses.
He denied the existence of ghost works and blamed the university’s financial difficulties on an overburdened workforce and a lower number of student enrollment.
Moi University was also struggling to enroll and retain students, and Njuguna noted that the student population is now 30,000, down from 50,000 a few years ago.
The university removed 30 departments in an effort to standardize their courses. Later, several students enrolled in education programs at the Nairobi Campus on Moi Avenue were transferred to the main campus in Eldoret.
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The Agriculture and Natural Resources School was also relocated to Kitale Campus.
Prof Isaac Kosgey, Vice-Chancellor, stated at the time that the varsity is assigning academic staff to facilities where they are best suited.
He said these changes will be game changers because they will increase efficiency and reduce costs.
Moi University Mass Layoffs Underway
