No more lunch allowance for varsity employees

The University of Nairobi has suspended lunch allowance for all its staff in radical measures to cut costs.

An internal memo by Madara Ogot, acting deputy vice chancellor finance and planning said the move is in line with the government’s austerity measures. “As the University of Nairobi implements the government directive on austerity measures all lunch programmes have been stopped,” read the memo dated January 13.

The office of the vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellors and college principals are exempted from the lunch allowance ban. The DVC also advised all heads of departments to effectively utilise their available staff.

“Heads of departments are requested to stagger their staff as necessary to ensure continuity of service as appropriate,” reads the memo. The university released another circular in November outlining elaborate measures as it sought to cut costs.

The government already ordered that all monies generated internally by universities be sent to the Treasury.

“Any surplus funds invested in Treasury Bills by any college or any other form of investment must be liquidated and submitted to the National Treasury on or before November 15, 2019,” read a circular by Prof Isaac Mbeche, acting Vice Chancellor University of Nairobi.