Union backs central hiring of lecturers

Kenya Universities Staff Union Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya (left) and the union lawyer Arnold Magina leave the Industrial court in Milimani. (Photo: George Njunge/Standard)

A university workers' union is supporting a proposal to have lecturers hired and deployed centrally.

Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya said adopting the proposal would address ethnicity and tribalism concerns currently being witnessed in various universities.

"This is something we have been telling the universities. The Education ministry should have implemented it years ago. We have individuals within the university council who influence the hiring of lecturers to their benefit," said Mr Mukhwaya.

"Currently, there is no professionalism. People are employing their relatives. If it is taken to a central place or a directorate under the Ministry of Education, you have very little chance of unfair influence. In any case, it will also go a long way in helping to fight ethnicity and tribalism, which have really been entrenched in our universities."

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In the current system, university councils advertise positions and individuals apply to fill them.

According to Mukhwaya, the system opens room for favouritism by individuals within the council. He said a central employment and placement body would help to minimise this.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) University of Nairobi chapter Secretary George Omondi said their union would be making their stand after they officially went through the proposal.

"Let us first see the proposal; we haven't seen the actual document. We will get the chancellors to give us the document, which we will then study and give a comprehensive response," said Mr Omondi.

He however said as stakeholders, they should be consulted regarding the matter, adding that it would be not be prudent to talk about hiring without addressing the issue of compensation.