The lecturers want an apology over Prof. Kotut’s alleged remarks where he is said to have described lecturers as ‘parasites’.
This comes at a moment when the institution faces renewed parliamentary scrutiny over its worsening financial crisis.
Speaking during a press briefing in Eldoret on Saturday, UASU officials condemned the alleged remarks, which they say were made during the university management’s appearance before the National Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday, July 2.
The committee had summoned the university management to provide an update on Moi University’s financial position and the implementation of previous parliamentary recommendations on accountability, procurement reforms, governance and institutional controls.
During the session, the university disclosed that it has accumulated pending bills amounting to KSh9 billion and is seeking an additional Ksh1.9 billion in recurrent funding for the 2026/27 financial year.
The committee, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, met the university’s management led by Prof. Kotut.
Prof. Kotut attributed the pending bills to financial deficits that have accumulated since 2014, saying the debt burden continues to hamper the university’s operations.
However, UASU said the management’s appearance before Parliament was overshadowed by the alleged use of derogatory language against lecturers.
Reading the union’s press statement, Chapter Secretary Prof. Robert Oduori described the alleged remarks as “unfortunate, uninformed and irresponsible,” saying they had further demoralized academic staff already working under difficult conditions.
“The people implementing academic programmes should not be insulted. Lecturers are central to the existence of any university,” Oduori said.
The union accused the acting management of fostering a toxic work environment characterized by intimidation of deans, heads of departments and other staff members.
UASU maintained that Moi University’s challenges stem from poor leadership and governance rather than academic staff, noting that a previous Parliamentary Committee on Education had similarly concluded that the institution’s problems were managerial in nature.
According to the union, staff shortages have reached critical levels across several departments. It cited the Department of Mental Health in the School of Medicine, which reportedly has only one lecturer, and the Department of Pathology, where two lecturers are said to be handling three broad areas of specialization.
The union also claimed that lecturers are teaching classes of more than 1,000 students and, in some cases, have been forced to purchase teaching equipment using their own resources to sustain learning.
UASU further alleged that in 2025 the acting management attempted to declare the Departments of Paediatrics, Dentistry, Orthodontics and Oral Biology redundant, a move it says was stopped through court intervention initiated by the union.
On staff welfare, the union said lecturers are owed salary arrears totaling KSh1.25 billion, in addition to unpaid pension contributions, bank loan remittances and other financial obligations exceeding KSh500 million. It argued that funds allocated to Moi University in the February 2026 supplementary budget should be used to clear the outstanding obligations.
The union appealed to Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba to intervene by ensuring the immediate settlement of staff dues, appointing substantive university managers and restoring industrial harmony at the institution.
Among its key demands, UASU called for a public apology from the Acting Vice-Chancellor over the alleged remarks directed at lecturers.
The union also urged the government to replace the current acting management with substantive office holders, arguing that prolonged acting appointments have contributed to instability and poor governance at the university.
