Lecturers, university staff begin nationwide strike

By Peter Ochieng

Learning has been paralysed in various universities across the country, after members of the Universities' Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) began their strike.

They embarked on the industrial action on Wednesday morning, over various grievances including delayed salaries and what they term as inadequate medical coverage.

From Maseno University in Kisumu to Chuka University in Meru and to Pwani University in the Coastal City of Mombasa, normal learning operations have been crippled in over 30 public universities, due to the ongoing strike.

At Maseno, university dons assembled at the graduation square to officially commence the strike. “No don is permitted to conduct any teaching, either in-person or online. Solidarity forever,” said Dr. Onyango S. Okeyo, UASU Maseno Chapter Secretary.

The 7-day strike notice was issued on September 11, 2024. Two days later, lecturers attended a meeting with Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Migos Ogamba to try and reach an amicable solution.

The talks collapsed. “It’s not feasible to continue earning the same in an environment where everything has gone up and our purchasing power eroded,” said Charles Mukhwaya, KUSU Secretary-General after the talks hit a snag.

“We don’t eat promises and promissory notes. We don’t care if it takes years. If they come with promises, we’ll reject them. We want something tangible,” added UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga.

“We refuse to accept further delays in our compensation. We are ready for talks, but we will not return to work until a deal is reached. They either sign the 2021-2025 CBA or it will be the end of the world.”

UASU and KUSU leaders want the government to address several issues including discriminative medical cover, the conclusion of a local Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), annual salary increments, staff promotions, proper staff placement to appropriate notches and the improvement of poor working conditions.