Egerton University Vice Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage and his 8-member university council were on Thursday handed a 30-day jail term for contempt of court with an alternative of a Sh100,000 fine.
Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nakuru found the nine senior university staff guilty of defying court orders directing them to produce evidence that the institution’s finances were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guilty verdict against the council was delivered on Wednesday but ELRC judge, Justice David Nderitu delivered the sentence Thursday.
The Judge said the VC and the other members of staff namely, Hukka Wario who is the council chairperson, Paul K’Angira, Julius Mutua, Wilson Ronno, Charity Nyaga, John Ondari, Esther Wabuge, and Joshua Otieno blatantly ignored court orders as their reasons for salary deductions lacked merit.
The case was filed by Egerton University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Chapter after the university imposed a 40 per cent pay cut in 2020.
The University claimed that the pay cut was an austerity measure to mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic without providing audit proof of how the institution had been affected.
The nine failed to implement a court order directing them to pay the lecturers a hundred per cent of their salaries.
“The pay cut was a breach of the rights of the dons and a violation of the constitution on fair labour practices,” said Justice Nderitu.
He said the decision by the VC and the university council to ignore the court orders was prejudicial to the lecturers.
Egerton University has been marred by a myriad of problems ranging from student riots that have led to many closures and delayed academic periods to staff strikes and go-slows.
