Kenya – Crisis As Kenyan University Lecturers Embark On Strike

BY Lisbeth Micheni,Kenya

Learning in public universities in Kenya has been paralyzed after lecturers and staff across the country embarked on strike from Wednesday.

professors and staff under the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) downed their tools over a dispute surrounding the 2021-25 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Learning across all 35 public universities came to a stop from Wednesday as the two unions made true their threat to ask members to down tools.

UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga said the two unions will still be negotiating with the government with members on strike.

“I woke up at 2 am and coordinated with all branch secretaries and I want to thank them because they have responded to the call of the union. We are ready for talks, but we will strike until we strike a deal,” he said.

Wasonga noted that other public service employees were recently given a seven to 10 per cent salary hike.

“We are also government employees. We want the seven to 10 per cent other public sector employees were given,” he stated.

Wasonga added that they have no apologies for being on strike as Article 41 of the Constitution allows them to down their tools.

“If from September 4, 2020, you did not know what you’re doing, you better resign. Whoever sat on our proposal up to 2024 and is still asking for more time should resign,” he stated.

The lecturers have waited for three years to negotiate the deal as there has been no progress since they tabled their proposal on September 4, 2020.

“There was no counterproposal until 2023. Even that was a nil-offer. They’ve now said no more waiting. We told the Cabinet Secretary that if they cannot give our members a salary increment, then they should cushion them with a bare minimum,” Kusu Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya said earlier.