TUM Students Protest Over Ongoing Lecturers’ Strike

Students at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) on Wednesday held peaceful demonstrations to protest the government’s silence over the ongoing lecturers’ strike, which has disrupted learning for several weeks.

The students marched from the university’s main gate to nearby streets, chanting slogans and carrying placards as they called for urgent intervention from the Ministry of Education and the University Academic Staff Union (UASU). They lamented that the stalemate has left them idle and uncertain about their academic future.

“We have been stuck in hostels for weeks without learning, yet we continue paying rent and other expenses,” said Mary Atieno, a third-year Civil Engineering student. “We feel abandoned by both the government and the university administration.”

Another student, Ali Hassan, expressed frustration over the delay in completing the semester. “Some of us were preparing for our final exams and graduation, but now everything is on hold. We just want classes to resume,” he said.

The TUM Students’ Association Secretary-General, Kevin Mutua, urged the government to prioritize resolving the crisis. “Education is a right, not a privilege. The government must act now to end this strike and safeguard our future,” he said.

The lecturers’ strike, now in its third week, began after UASU accused the government of failing to honor a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that would improve lecturers’ salaries and working conditions.

University officials have assured students that negotiations are ongoing and expressed hope that normal learning activities will resume soon.