University students are on their way to Parliament to petition MPs
for help in ending the lecturers' strike that began on January 19.
The Petition was signed by
Moi University Nairobi campus chairman
Edwin
Kegoli, academia
director
Morgan Ochieng, assistant
secretary general
Perez Anzugira, finance
director
Gregory Anam and
secretary
general Dalman Muhamud.
"We humbly request police protection during the peaceful demonstration," the five
student
leaders
said in a statement.
The leaders said they were unhappy about President Uhuru Kenyatta's silence on the matter. They threatened to go to court should legislators fail to find a solution.
"We have exams next month yet no learning has been going on for over a month now. Next Tuesday we will mobilise university students to hold demos along Harambee Avenue to show our displeasure if this matter is not resolved," said Kegoli.
Harrison Talo, Multimedia University secretary general, said: "We are paying rent and bus fare yet no learning is taking place. The only course going on is intercourse."
Victor Njeru, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga university secretary general, said: "We cannot go on like this. Doctors and nurse are also on strike. This is now a striking nation."
Lecturers want the government
to honour their 2013-17 Collective Bargaining Agreement. They have said they will not back down unless their demands for higher pay and better working conditions are met.
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But the student leaders drawn
from
public and private universities noted that the strike has threatened
the
continuity of proper learning in institutions.
"It
threatens
the consistency and length of the academic
calendar, academic extension and research activities,"
they said.
Their petition asks the
National Assembly to stop the strike as it exposes learners across the country to "non-constructive" activities.
"The assembly should realise that the continuity of the strike limits students from realising their academic advancements and engagements," it read.
The government offered the lecturers Sh10 billion to cater for basic salaries and allowances of staff at public universities, but they turned down the amount terming it too small.
They said they will only call off their strike if the state confirms that the Sh4.8 billion they were also offered was in addition to the initial Sh10 billion.
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