Egerton University has today on Friday closed down indefinitely in the wake of strike by lecturers and non-teaching staff that has crippled operations in the Njoro-based institution.
The shutting down comes at a time when thousands of students were looking forward to completing their studies but their hopes were dashed after the university’s management board and the lecturers failed to settle on a return-to-work formula.
Jambo News has learnt that the university’s management issued a notice to all students and staff informing them of the closure.
“Following the strike by university teaching staff which has disrupted learning in the institution, Senate at its 533rd meeting held on Thursday November 25 resolved to close the university with immediate effect until further notice,” read the notice signed by the Registrar Academic Affairs Mwanarusi Saidi.
The notice further directed students to vacate the university premises latest by Tuesday November 30.
The striking teaching staff are protesting the delay by the university to implement the 2017-2021 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The university that was founded 82 years ago is facing one of its worst financial crises Currently, there is lot of pressure from creditors, including state agencies like the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) who have threatened to attach its property and freeze its accounts.
Efforts to end the stalemate that is grinding activities of the university to a halt bore no fruits.
On Thursday, Uasu met the university’s management board so as to find a solution but the board insisted that it was not possible to implement the 2017-2021 CBA due to lack of funds from the exchequer.