Egerton University Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof. Isaac Kibwage and eight University Council members have been sentenced to a one-month jail term for contempt of court.
Justice Nderitu of the Employment and Labour Relations court in Nakuru found them guilty of contempt by disobeying court orders issued on May 30, 2022 directing them to pay full salaries of Egerton University lecturers.
Egerton University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Chapter had filed for contempt after the university imposed a 40 percent pay cut in 2020 which was said to be a stop-gap measure at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Judge Nderitu said the cut was said to be prompted by the effects of Covid-19 but the council failed to produce evidence.
“The university council could not produce audited accounts to support their claims,” said the judge.
“Why was it that only Egerton among all the other public universities effected a pay cut on its employees during the pandemic” he questioned.
The court however gave them an alternative fine of Sh100,000.
The eight council members are chairperson Dr Hukka Wario, Paul K’Angira, Julius Mutua, Wilson Ronno, Charity Nyaga, John Ondari, Esther Wabuge and Joshua Otieno.
The matter will be mentioned on December 15, 2022.
