TUK suspends exams as lecturers’ strike bites
The exams were to run from February 3 -15
1mon agoEMMANUEL WANJALARealtime
The crisis surrounding the closure of the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) has made its way to Parliament with a legislator now demanding an urgent intervention from the government.
In his petition, Funyula MP Wilberforce Ouondo called for immediate intervention to address the financial instability at the institution which he said has left the staff without salaries.
Oundo highlighted the welfare of TUK staff, citing delayed salaries, unremitted statutory deductions, and the collapse of the university’s pension scheme.
He claimed that the institution, which was awarded a charter in 2013, has been struggling financially in recent years.
According to the Auditor-General’s reports, TUK is among 23 out of 40 public universities facing severe financial instability, with pending bills amounting to Sh11 billion as of June 30, 2024.
The university also owes Sh5 billion in unremitted Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes.
The crisis escalated on February 3, 2025, when the institution was indefinitely closed following protests by lecturers demanding improved working conditions and payment of salaries overdue since December 2024.
"The Labour Relations Act and the Employment Act guarantee the fundamental rights of employees, including protection from servitude, conducive working conditions, and timely remuneration. It is unacceptable that TUK management has failed to honor these obligations," Oundo said.
Adding to the challenges of university staff, he noted that over 1,500 employees face uncertainty in retirement after their pension savings were lost.
On July 5, 2024, the High Court ordered the winding up of TUK’s staff retirement benefits scheme, leaving many without financial security.
Oundo asked the Education Ministry and the university administration to outline steps to resolve the financial crisis, compensate affected staff, and prevent future mismanagement.
He sought clarification on Government plans to stabilize the university’s finances, including the timely payment of staff salaries and statutory deductions.
"What are the measures taken by the University Council and Vice-Chancellor to address the issues of retirement benefits owed to staff under the staff retirement benefit scheme and remittance of statutory and third-party obligations," said Oundo.
Last week, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba held discussions with union representatives from the university, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) to deliberate on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the workers.
Speaking to the press after the boardroom meeting with the Union officials, Ogamba stated that the ministry has developed a sustainable agreement framework to facilitate a structured return-to-work formula for the TUK workers.
CS Ogamba highlighted key areas of discussion including the return work formula for university workers, increasing student enrollment, improving the organizational structure, and strengthening the overall university.
The CS said that the ministry has presented a proposal to the unions, outlining both short-term and long-term solutions for consideration.
Additionally, the CS emphasised the government's commitment to preventing future strikes by implementing proactive measures across all universities
