Uasu, VCs clash over harassment of striking lecturers

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has protested alleged harassment of its members by the police and universities’ management.

Uasu secretary-general Constantine Wasonga on Tuesday said the striking lecturers had not committed any crime to be harassed by the police.

STUDENTS

“There are members of the police force  in  the grounds of Masinde Muliro University, Masai Mara University, Pwani University  and Kenyatta University, who have been brought in by universities to try and force employees on strike back to work, disperse peaceable assemblies and brutilise those who refuse,” said Dr Wasonga during a press conference on Tuesday.

He said the action by the police and university management is a blatant violation of Article 37 and 41 of the Constitution, which guarantee the right to peaceful assembly and right to strike.

He cited the harassment of staff at Kenyatta University by police saying they used live bullets to disperse the lecturers.

“Uasu demands that Kenyatta University management desist from the barbaric and inimical behaviour henceforth,” said Dr Wasonga.

He went on: “We have been aware of an evil plot hatched by university management to incite a section of students against lecturers. No evil attempt to separate students and their lecturers will succeed.”

Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) secretary-general Charles Mukhwaya reminded students that lecturers are the ones who will teach them, prepare them for exams, mark the exams and prepare them for graduation.

“Vice-chancellors should stop using students to undermine their lecturers,” said Dr Mukhwaya.

DENIED

However, Vice-chancellors Committee chairman Francis Aduol denied the allegations saying police are only in universities to provide security.

“We usually have police officers in campuses and no such officers have harassed lecturers at all,” said Prof Aduol.

He also denied allegations that Universities management are using students to threaten and intimidate lecturers.

“We cannot incite students to harm their lecturers and they need to explain to us how this is being executed,” said Prof Aduol.

Masaai Mara University Vice-chancellor Mary Walingo also denied the allegations, saying the institution has since closed after exams and students will be reporting back in September.

“We concluded our examinations and students are now home. We have no officers on the ground to harass staff,” said Prof Walingo.

The strike that started on March 1 entered its 69th day with lecturers insisting that they will only go back to work once their Collective Bargaining Agreement is negotiated, signed and implemented.