Strike cripples varsity exams and graduation

Graduation ceremonies and examinations in public universities were in danger of being cancelled after a strike by lecturers that begun on Wednesday paralysed academic programmes.

Some students at Nairobi, Moi, Masinde Muliro and Kenya Polytechnic universities were sitting their end of semester examinations when their lecturers went on strike to push for salary increments. (Read: Lecturers reject pay dispute talks)

Libraries and laboratories also remained closed at the 22 public universities and constituent colleges.

A graduation ceremony scheduled for tomorrow at the Kenya Polytechnic was thrown into disarray.

It was unclear if the ceremony will go on since the academic procession includes the striking lecturers.

Administrative and other non-teaching staff who are crucial in organising the graduation are also on strike.

Graduation ceremonies also lined up in almost all the universities between now and next month could be affected if the strike not called off.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) secretary-general Muga K’Olale demanded suspension of all the graduation ceremonies and examinations while the strike was on.

“We will not relent until we are given a convincing counter-offer,” he said, adding that the 7,000 lecturers will remain on strike “as long as it takes”.

Mr K’Olale spoke as the Industrial Court ordered a resumption of work.

Mr Justice Paul Kosgei ruled that pending the hearing and determination of an application filed by the Inter-University Council Consultative Forum, the lecturers should not engage in any activity likely to paralyse learning.

The ruling barred Uasu and the Universities Non-Teaching Staff Union from calling, taking part, instigating or inciting others to take part in the strike.

Mr Justice Kosgey directed that Uasu respond to the suit before November 17 and the application be heard on November 22.

However, Mr K’Olale said the union will this morning challenge the court’s decision.

He said the strike will continue since all modalities of calling it were followed.

A University of Nairobi engineering student Francis Muga said they didn’t have morning classes yesterday and called on the government to sort out the issue.

Another student, Lucy Kariuki, said the strike would be a burden because there would be a backlog of courses.

Mr K’Olale termed the strike one of the most successful in the era of work boycotts as non-teaching staff had joined in.

Students also supported the strike, he claimed.

University of Nairobi Uasu chapter chairman Samuel Nyandemo said students had no food in the dining hall since catering department staff were also not working.

Mr K’Olale said the withdrawal of services had spared staff working in hospitals.

Medical schools

Lecturers at the Nairobi and Moi university medical schools also work at the Kenyatta and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, respectively.

However, staff at the Kenyatta National Hospital on Wednesday also went on strike on a separate set of grievances.

The union boss criticised Higher Education minister Margaret Kamar for declaring the strike unlawful.

The new Constitution, he said, allowed workers to participate in industrial action.

Addressing a media conference, Prof Kamar said the three trade unions involved had defied calls for negotiations.

She said unions representing academic, non-teaching and support staff did not turn up for meetings called to find a way out.

“The three unions should go back to work immediately because they did not file a case in the Industrial court for the strike to be legalised,” she said.

The minister, a former university don, said negotiations with the lecturers had been scheduled to take place between Tuesday and Thursday.

“I wanted to meet them personally on October 13 and see how we can resolve the strike in my office, but they declined,” she said.

Spurned approaches

“On October 19, I initiated another meeting in which my assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria was to meet them, but they instead gave him a strike notice putting our efforts in jeopardy.”

She said she personally tried to contact Uasu officials on Tuesday evening, but they spurned her approaches, saying they could only meet Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Head of Public Francis Muthaura.

Prof Kamar said she hoped to meet the Untesu officials on Friday.

She also wants a meeting with officials of the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha) initially scheduled for October 13.

She called on the more than 200,000 students in the public universities to remain calm.

Additional reporting by Paul Ogemba