One week ultimatum for Egerton over 40 percent pay cut

Egerton University's main campus in Njoro Nakuru county on October 5, 2020. [Standard]

Egerton University has until Tuesday next week to pay full salaries and arrears owed to its academic staff failure to which, learning will be paralysed.

University Academic Staff Union (UASU) national officials issued a seven-day ultimatum to the varsity's administration on Wednesday protesting a 40 per cent pay cut slapped on their members seven months ago.

Led by UASU national chairman Muga Kolale, the lecturers demanded full pay, claiming the institution had raised enough funds.

"Students are back to lecture halls and have paid their fees but the university has continued to punish the academic staff by paying them 60 per cent of their salaries," said Prof Muga.

According to Muga, the Egerton University owes the 500 academic staff "millions of shillings" with select lecturers demanding over Sh400,000 each in arrears.

University Vice Chancellor, Prof Rose Mwonya in April issued a notice to the staff justifying the pay cut.

"Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the university is not able to generate enough funds internally to pay salaries for the month of April. This might continue for a while during the pandemic," she wrote in part.

The notice further indicated that staff in grade 1 to 4 would be spared in the move.

"The 40 per cent balance will be paid as soon as funds are available. I appeal to all staff to understand and bear with the situation and we hope that normalcy will soon resume," Mwonya wrote.

The university resumed learning early this week under tight Ministry of Heath protocols to curb spread of coronavirus.