Garissa University staff ordered to report back to the institution

ELDORET: The Principal of Garissa University College (GUC) has ordered all administrative and support staff that had relocated to Moi University main Campus in Eldoret to report back to Garissa with immediate effect.

Through an internal memo, the employees of the University College are advised to report to the acting Deputy Principal Finance Administration and Planning by 1st July to resume duties in their departments.

Professor Ahmed Warfa, the principal GUC directs heads of departments of finance, procurement, internal audit and other administrative units to ensure that all items relocated from the college are moved back to Garissa.

The memo states that all inventories of the items that were moved out of Garissa in May and those that will be moved back must be submitted to the Deputy Principal Finance and Planning.

The memo which states in part, "Considering that teaching of our students who were relocated to Moi University Main campus has come to an end, and end of semester exam will start on 6th July 2015, most administrative activities will no longer be necessary in Eldoret..."

It continues to state that those that are coordinating administration of examinations are exempt from the directive and would report back as soon as the exam period is over.

The Deputy Principal Academic and students affairs is requested to release a vehicle plate number KCA 533F to ferry items from Eldoret to Garissa.

Staff of GUC who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that they are not assured of their safety should they honour the directive by the principal.

They noted that they may be targets if they report back to the institution that was attacked by suspected Al-shabaab militia.

"The university college was shut down indefinitely by the Cabinet Secretary Professor Jacob Kaimenyi and we have not gotten any information that the university has been reopened," said a GUC staff.

He expressed fear that their jobs would be on the line since there are no students at the university college since most of them had been absorbed by Moi University.

Another employee stated that they would only report back to GUC when they are assured that the government had invested heavily in security at the university.

"We have seen how daring some of the terrorist have been to an extent of even attempting to attack army barracks where there are weapons and personnel trained in combat, we are just lectures, administrators and support staff, we are easy target!" she exclaimed.

In a phone interview with The Standard, the Principal GUC noted that the directive must be honoured since the staff belong to the university and not Moi University.

He said that the staff must report to their works stations as the University does renovation and takes stock before it is reopened.

"The memo is very clear and must be honoured because they (employees) are not employees of Moi University. They are not teaching at the University and should be in Garissa," ordered Professor Warfa.

He explained that he could not assure the staff of their security since the security docket was being handled by the County Commissioner and the security committee.

Warfa noted that he had in the past written more than five letters to the security committee on increasing security at the University.

147 students and 1 security officer were killed after assailants attacked Garissa University College at dawn. Al-shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.