Moi University accused of illegal redundancy as court suspends the move

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has filed an urgent application against Moi University over what the union terms as an illegal and clandestine issuance of redundancy letters to over 120 of its members.

This happens at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Eldoret.

According to court documents filed by the unions’ legal representative Advocate Koceyo O. Titus, the matter came up in court on 14th May 2025 where it was agreed that no redundancy letters had been issued, only a notice of intention.

The Court had directed that both parties negotiate and discuss within two weeks and report back to Court on 28th May 2025.

However, in a dramatic twist, UASU claims that immediately parties left Court on 14th May 2025 and before any start of the intended negotiation and discussions as directed by the Court, Moi University proceeded on the same day to issue 120 Redundancy letters to the members of the Union backdated 13th May 2025 even though they had informed the Court that no such letters had been issued.

ALSO READ:

Moi University to lay off 800 staff amid financial crisis

“The Respondent’s conduct amounts to a breach of natural justice and a direct ambush of our members, as they were not given a chance to make any representation before issuance of the Notice,” the application reads

UASU accuses the University Deliberately misleading the court and acting in bad faith by secretly issuing the letters while publicly denying their existence.

The union argues that the move threatens to result in monumental loss of employment to its members, anguish and violation of the Labour Laws and the Constitution. The union wants the court to terminate the redundancy process, terming it illegal and unconstitutional.

However on May 15, the court issued an order direction suspending the letters of redundancy until the application filed is heard as scheduled on May 28, 2025.

By Cornelius Korir