Strike still on, say lecturers

Universities now want lecturers to call off their one month strike after the government agreed to release Sh5.28 billion for their enhanced salaries and house allowances on Thursday.

Inter-Public Universities’ Councils Consultative Forum chairman Paul Kanyari said activities in the 31 public universities have been paralysed.

“The Ministry of Education is in the process of disbursing these funds to the respective bank accounts of all public universities,” said Prof Kanyari.

CLOSED

The effects of the strike continued to be felt across the sector with University of Nairobi rescheduling examinations that were supposed to take place next month to January.

Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat), Pwani University, Masinde Muliro University have also since closed due to the strike that has paralysed learning in public universities.

However, the prospects of the strike being called off this week appeared minimal after the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) insisted that they will only call off the strike after meeting the ministry officials.

Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga said the strike is still on as they have not received the money.

Dr Wasonga accused universities’ managements of being insincere, saying they have failed to meet the union leaders to iron out pending issues such as the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

“There is a clause dealing with internal CBA for each and every university. It was supposed to have been signed by May. It is only five universities – University of Nairobi, Jkuat, Jaramogi, Kenyatta University and Pwani University that have signed internal CBAs, others are dodging,” said Dr Wasonga.

NEW SALARY SCALES

He said the strike will only be called off after signing a return to work formula and not through appeals in the media.

Early this year, the government released Sh10 billion to cater for the increase but failed to sustain the new salary scales, leading to the current strike that began on November 1.

Speaking in Nakuru, Dr Wasonga said they were not intending to call off the strike unless the National Executive Committee and the National Delegates Council decide otherwise.

“I wish to clarify that all public university lecturers are still on strike until the government meets our demands,” Dr Wasonga said.

The union has accused the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum chairman of refusing to resolve three major issues that were negotiated and agreed upon in the CBA 2013-2017.

On Thursday, National Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge granted the Ministry of Education authority to use Sh5.28 billion for enhanced salaries and house allowances for lecturers.

Additional reporting by Joseph Openda and Lamech Arisa