The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) is in deep financial crisis after it emerged that poor management decisions and leakage of funds amounting to at least Sh400 million by former officials have left the institution in mayhem.
For the last few months, the university is said to have been struggling to pay its operational bills.
With the institution owing hundreds of millions to workers, suppliers and creditors, insiders at CUEA are worried about the future of the education facility.
At least 100 part-time lecturers at the main campus have been on a go-slow as the university has failed to honor an agreement it made in May to pay them Sh30, 000 every fortnight until all their arrears are cleared, some of them even refusing to invigilate the end of semester exams.
An audit was conducted by Deloitte and Touche and Adept Systems on Dr Rutechura, the deputy vice- chancellor in charge of finance and the chief financial officer over the possible loss of millions of shillings and it was discovered that the university was losing close to Sh50 million per semester.
“The university was either making payments or owed lecturers money that is not genuine,” reads part of the audit.
The capacity of the priests at the top positions has been questioned;
“Over-reliance on these priests could be the reason behind the financial crisis,” said a worker.
“Even if a priest has challenges with money he is not reprimanded or fired but subjected to internal disciplinary systems which often do not yield any results,” said the worker.
CUEA head of communications, Dr John Nyambega, declined to comment on the issue.
The university council headed by Bishop Maurice Muhatia recently removed three senior officials after they realised that the institution was making too many payments to part-time lecturers.