University education stalls as professors embark on a strike across public institutions
Public University Lecturers' Strike Continues Over Unpaid Salary Arrears
A strike by lecturers at public universities in Kenya has entered its third week, with no end in sight. The dispute revolves around unpaid salary arrears and the government's alleged failure to honor collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
At the heart of the matter is the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), which maintains that the industrial action will proceed until the money reflects in staff accounts and the government addresses the Sh8.8 billion arrears from the 2017/2021 CBA. The lecturers are demanding Sh2.7 billion from the 2017/2021 CBA and Sh7.8 billion from the 2021/2025 CBA.
The strike has affected multiple universities, including Multimedia University, Technical University of Mombasa (TUM), Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology. At Multimedia University, KUSU chairman Omondi Kosano has escalated the strike, with the university's staff owed 52 months in salary arrears.
Kosano criticized the government for failing to fulfill the 2017/2021 CBA, amounting to Sh8 billion, and not paying the second and third phases of the 2021/2025 CBA. He also warned that the strike will continue until the arrears are paid in full. Gilbert Mitei, the KUSU Secretary General at Multimedia University, also criticized the government's proposals.
Galfen Muse, Secretary KUSU Maasai Mara University, echoed Kosano's sentiments, vowing that the strike will continue until the arrears are settled. Muse urged the government to take dons welfare seriously. The Treasury has committed Sh2.5 billion to settle part of the lecturers' salary arrears, but this proposal is viewed as inadequate by Kosano and other union leaders.
The court has ordered the Treasury to allocate funds, but union leaders claim that the Ministry of Education and the Inter Public University Council Consultative Forum have made promises without delivering payments. This has led to frustration among the striking lecturers, who feel that their patience is being tested.
The dispute over unpaid CBAs has been ongoing for years, with students fearing prolonged disruption due to the strike. The strike has halted lectures, library services, and examinations at Multimedia University, affecting the academic calendar and causing anxiety among students.
As the strike continues, both parties are urged to engage in meaningful dialogue to find a resolution that benefits all parties involved, particularly the students who are the most affected by the ongoing industrial action.
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