MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTEST AS LECTURERS DOWN TOOLS OVER UPAID SALARIES

Maasai Mara University students in Narok County took to the streets on Thursday to protest the continued absence of lecturers from classrooms over a salary dispute.

Lecturers have boycotted parallel classes for the last three weeks citing a salary payment dispute with the institution’s management.

The tutors say they have not been paid from as long as 2013 and some are owed up to Sh2 million in arrears by the institution.

They have threatened to withhold examination results until the university settles their arrears.

Some of the striking lecturers who spoke to the Nation, said part-time tutors in at the university have not been paid for a long time, even after being asked to teach without pay for the last three years.

“How do you meet your financial obligations if you are working and you can’t be paid at the end of the month? We are tired and that is why we have downed our tools,” said the Secretary General of the Part Time Lecturers Association Mr Meshack Lagat.

Part-time lecturers have no union to present their grievances, making it difficult for them to push their case in a coordinated way.

Mr Joshua Karia said he started work in August 2013, under a deal that showed he would be paid Sh1,500 per hour for undergraduate classes.

He is now demanding over Sh2 million from the university in in unpaid salaries. “This cry of distress, expressed by a part-time lecturers in Narok, is not isolated. It represents the feelings of many other lecturers in different public universities in Kenya, we are being taken for a ride,” said Mr Karia.

Town campus students under the privately sponsored students’ programme who are among those affected by the strike staged a peaceful protest march to the Main campus situated at Total estate- three kilometers from Narok town.

They sought audience with the university’s vice chancellor Professor Mary Walingo who later addressed them at the university’s main campus, promising to address all their issues.

The students’ leaders Mr Justus Dikirr, Mr Moses Nkamasiai, and Mr Clement Nkaanti faulted the University for failing to pay the lecturers, arguing that it has collected more than Sh200 million in school fees.

"We are wondering why they are not being paid yet we have paid fees," said Mr Dikirr who led the demonstrations.

"The country and our parents must know we are being 'wasted' yet fees has been paid. Corruption is running the university; money meant to pay lecturers is stolen by senior officials." said Mr Dikirr.

SOURCE: DAILY NATION

You own a bike in Kilgoris?, Take care the thief is just next to you

Motor Bike BOXER (Blue in colour) registration KMDW 556V belonging to David Tiepoon which operates Shartuka kilgoris has been STOLEN in Kilgoris town today.

Speaking to narok media Boda Boda operators chairman Oloolmongi Seitai said the motor bike  has been traced to have gone to Narok via Esoit-Chebunyo-emarti ntulele-aitong where number plate was removed. The troops tracing  are still pursuing the thief.

The owner of the bike was offloading milk to his customers at nakuyiana Hotel that's when the thief disconnected the wiring at engine of the motor and swiftly drove towards kichinjio and to unkown destination.

More to follow

We have to unite as a people not as young vs old- advised Sunkuli

Let's preach peace & unity in our community, Julius Ole Sunkuli urges aspirants.

Its high time our aspirants come in terms with reality that unity our purpose matters.

Gone are days for people to talk of youths vs Old people  with theories that instill division in the ward.

Speaking at Osupuko at the burrial of the late Sintiya Kiranto, Hon Sunkuli urged residents to scrutinise aspirants to make sober conclusion for an inclusive leadership.

"Each every aspirant should preach peace & unity for the betterment of the future generations and a community without either youths or old people will fall and for us we should be honest in our aspirations to make all avenues of coming together materialise" Said Sunkuli

Narok YOUTHS & WOMEN TO BE EMPOWERED, SAYS HON SOIPAN

Hon soipan has launched Affirmative Action Fund for youths & women groups

Governor Tunai meets Tourism Minister to foster growth, Success and proper Tourism Relations

 BY AMOS SANINGO

Narok county Governor HE Samuel Tunai who is also the chairperson of the Tourism Sub Committee of the Council of Governors (CoG), Yesterday held a consultative meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism Hon. Najib Balala.

The meeting Anchored on the strength of the spirit and letter of the Intergovernmental Relations and the spirit of partnership in the success of governance at the National and County level.

Their deliberations centered on the development of functional institutional frameworks that can guide the working relationship between CoG and the ministry for the success in tourism across the counties and in Kenya at large.

The two have underscored the importance of the CoG having representatives in various Boards within the ministry to ensure that the CoG’s interests are catered for in policy formulation.

Governor further discussed the tourism task force report, with Hon. Balala assuring the CoG of the national government’s resolve to implement the report.

During the meeting various thematic issues popped up which include the issue of tourism Act, highlighted by the Cabinet Secretary, who assured the COG that proposed amendments would be factored in and a stakeholder meeting, where the views and concerns of the CoG will be considered.

The issue of licensing and taxes affecting the tourism players were also discussed where Hon. Balala accentuated the need for proper and structured dialogue between the two levels of government to avoid double taxation which only makes Kenya expensive for tourists, especially foreign tourists.

Regarding tourism product management within counties, Governor proposed that the ministry needs to assist counties (through the Council of Governors) with the technical support to create marketable tourism products within the respective counties.

The Council of Governors, through Tourism Committee, also requested the fast-tracking of the East Africa Open Skies policy which will make movement of tourism, both locally and internationally easier.

Hon Balala promised to form a ministerial team to meet with the CoG representatives and hold a brainstorming session where ideas will be shared on the best ways of handling the issues raised in the meeting.