[Lecturers’ officials at a past demo. They will decide on whether to go on strike or hold on as the government looks into the issue.]
Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has asked lectures to be patient and not resort to industrial action, saying there will be funds as earlier agreed.
The lecturers have threatened to strike if the implementation of the collective bargaining agreement between the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and the government is not fully implemented.
“It is, therefore, my appeal to Uasu to withdraw its planned strike and encourage its members to go on with their duties uninterrupted,” said Dr Matiang’i.
In the statement, Matiang’i calls on the lecturers to exercise patience, adding that the ministry has already wired Sh4.775 billion into the respective bank accounts of 31 public universities and colleges.
However, Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga has denied the claims, noting that the members have not received any money.
The dons are currently in a crisis meeting with the National Executive Council (NEC) members, and will make a final decision over the planned strike.
“I have called all NEC members of 31 universities for a crisis meeting today at 9am; we will take a position from there. We feel that the government is just ignoring the plight of lecturers deliberately,” said Mr Wasonga.
“We still do not know whether money was wired into our accounts or not, NEC will confirm to us today and if there is nothing, we will proceed with our strike as earlier planned,” he added.
The lecturers and their respective unions signed the CBA with the government, which ended a 54-day strike that had paralysed learning in all public universities.
The planned strike is set to affect many students, with some even set to start their exams today