Egerton University starting their strike on January 19, 2017. [PHOTO/Nation.co.ke]
University lectures have for the second time rejected a salary increase offer proposed by the government.
This comes even as Education CS Fred Matiangi warned striking lecturers that they will not be paid until they resume work.
The lecturers rejected an 18 percent pay increase and insisted that they will only accept a 30 percent rise per year for four years.
“We were given figures of the proposal by Inter-public university consultative council forum of the offer to university staff. I don’t think any further money will be forthcoming this financial year given the stage of the National budget process. My view is that this is a good offer,” said Masinde Muliro University Vice-chancellor as quoted by Nation.
The University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga however dismissed the offer arguing that it was not what they have asked for.
“Tuesday’s offer is old wine in new wine skins. We pleaded with the forum and government to be serious. Withdrawing our salaries will not work, we were already starving,” Dr Wasonga said.
In February, the lecturers rejected Sh10 billion which was tabled by the government and said it translated to 3.2 percent increase in basic salary, 1.6 percent in house allowances and that Sh2 billion would go to the employer as the employee’s component of pension contribution.
The total figure was to benefit 30,312 university staff including 9,000 lecturers.
Last week, Education CS Fred Matiangi wrote to Vice Chancellors of Public Universities asking them not to pay salaries to the lecturers on strike.
“Why do you want to make money when you have not worked?” Matiang’i posed.
He added that the education system needed to be value-based and said selfishness among Kenyans has undermined the country's progress.