Learning in public universities has been paralysed after lecturers and staff across the country went on strike from Wednesday.
Dons 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 halt 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 then 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.
Uasu and Kusu issued the strike notice on September 11.
The strike was launched by Kusu and Uasu officials at the Technical University of Kenya.
Kenya has 35 public universities and three university constituent colleges.
The unions said they would hold a "mega-demonstration" in Nairobi on Monday.
At the centre of the dispute is the proposed 2021/25 СВА.
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 counter-proposal 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.
