Sacked Kisii University staff will have to wait longer for their dues following a standoff between the institution’s administration and officials from the Kenya Universities Staff Union, KUSU, over the time frame within which the university can manage to pay them their terminal benefits.
Already the first meeting between the two sides held in Kisumu failed to settle on an amicable solution..
KUSU National Secretary General, Charles Mukhwaya led the second round of unfruitful discussions with the Varsity’s management.
Addressing journalists after the meeting at the University, Mukhwaya said the university was yet to make a solid commitment if it will pay the workers the full amount within the 60 days time frame the court had ordered .
He noted that, so far the university had said it can only afford Sh 4 million a month which would stretch to 150 months for the whole amount.
Mukhwaya said that would violate the court’s orders on the matter hence leading to court contempt.
At least 204 staff were sacked in the 2020 massive retrenchment exercise under the administration of Vice Chancellor Prof John Akama.
A Kisumu Law Court where the affected staff filed their petition has since faulted the sackings.
Judge Stephen Radido asked the institution to calculate and file a schedule of terminal benefits payable to each employee under the 2007 Employment Act and ordered the university to pay them Sh 625 million as benefits accruing from the wrongful discharges.
The court had ruled that the staff were unfairly, erroneously, and unlawfully made redundant.
According to the ruling, each of the 204 former employees would receive compensation equal to seven months’ gross earnings.
During the ruling the court had directed the union officials and the university administration to sit and find the formula on how the staff would get their benefits within 60 days.
BY MUSA MARANGA