Lecturers' Strike Enters Day 34 With No End in Sight as TUK Staff Join Protest

By Brad Mukopi 

There appears to be no end in sight to the ongoing lecturers' strike, as university dons vow to stay out of class until the end of the year if necessary.

Striking academic staff have stated they will await the outcome of a court ruling scheduled for December 11. This development coincides with a fresh protest at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), where over 40 lecturers received interdiction letters for participating in the nationwide strike, prompting further unrest.

With protest chants echoing across campuses, lecture halls in public universities have remained deserted for the 34th consecutive day.

The future of higher education remains uncertain as the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) insist they will not return to class until the government honours the remaining Ksh.7.9 billion salary increment agreed upon in the 2019–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

“The court has directed that if the government does not resolve the CBA dispute and end the strike within 10 days, it will issue a ruling on December 11,” said Fred Sawenja, Secretary General of UASU, TUK chapter.

TUK academic staff have launched a parallel protest over the university’s failure to honour a March agreement that pledged to end half-salary payments and resume full salaries by July.

“One of our grievances is that when we ended our strike in March, it was agreed that full salaries would resume in July. It's now September, and that promise remains unfulfilled,” said Jacob Musembi, National Deputy Secretary General of UASU.

Lecturers have condemned the issuance of interdiction letters, accusing the university administration of intimidation tactics.

“They are using interdiction to harass us. But we won’t back down,” added Fred Sawenja.

More than 40 staff members, many of whom were leading the nationwide strike, were shocked to find the TUK main gate locked and received interdiction letters upon arrival. They have vowed to continue both the national and institution-specific strikes until all demands are addressed.

“The same officials who are quick to interdict and cut our pay should show the same efficiency in paying our full salaries,” said Andrew Musungu, Secretary General of KUSU, TUK.

The standoff between academic staff and the government paints a grim picture of the crisis facing public universities, casting a long shadow over the future of higher education in Kenya.