University Lecturers Go on Strike Over Unmet Government Demands.
University lecturers from various institutions have initiated a strike after unsuccessful attempts to prevent it through negotiations between university dons and relevant stakeholders.
The strike follows a collapse of discussions aimed at addressing the lecturers’ concerns, which left the academic staff unions—Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU)—with no choice but to act on their threat.
Lecturers Mobilize for the Strike
Lecturers across several universities officially started their strike after their unions called for industrial action due to the government’s failure to meet their demands. The strike comes shortly after students protesting against a new higher education funding model suspended their own strike following government intervention.
Participating lecturers include those from the following universities:
- The Technical University of Kenya (TUK)
- Karatina University
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT)
- South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU)
- Multimedia University
- Maasai Mara University
- Chuka University
- Cooperative University
Impact on Students
As the strike unfolded, its effects were felt in several universities where students sitting for their exams were interrupted when lecturers, who were supervising the exams, joined their striking colleagues.
At Karatina University, striking lecturers went further by disrupting ongoing lectures, demanding that those still teaching cease their activities and participate in the protest.
Strike Notice and Breakdown of Talks
The strike followed a notice issued by UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga on September 11. Despite attempts to resolve the dispute, a meeting with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba two days later ended without a meaningful resolution.
The Education Ministry’s proposal to maintain the current terms of employment was rejected by the lecturers, who cited the rising cost of living.
KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya emphasized that it was impractical to continue working under the same conditions when the cost of living had surged, eroding their purchasing power.
UASU’s Wasonga expressed the frustration of his union’s members, stating that they were no longer willing to accept promises from the government and demanded a concrete solution before ending the strike.
Key Issues Raised by the Unions
The UASU and KUSU are pressing the government to address several critical issues, including:
- Discriminative medical cover
- Conclusion of a local Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
- Annual salary increments
- Staff promotions
- Proper staff placement to appropriate salary notches
- Improvement of poor working conditions
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The ongoing strike threatens to paralyze learning in all 35 public universities across the country, as the unions maintain their stance until the government meets their demands.
University Lecturers Go on Strike Over Unmet Government Demands
