[From left, sitting: Universities Academic Staff Union deputy secretary-general Kenzi Joab, chairman Muga Kolale, secretary-general Constatine Wasonga and vice-chairman Mutura Mberia in Nairobi in February 2017. ]UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga has given the government a warning that the lecturers will down their tools if their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is not met.
This means learning in public universities could be paralysed from Saturday if the CBA that was agreed in March this year is not signed.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) has given the government until midnight to fully implement the CBA or they will down their tools.
“If the CBA is not implemented by close of business today all university lecturers and professors in all Kenyan public universities shall withhold their services effective from today and the strike shall continue until the registered 2013-2017 CBA is fully implemented,” Mr Wasonga said.
“The CBA remains paperwork and lecturers remain impoverished and without dignity and no one in government seems ready to address their plight. The government and the University councils seemingly want higher education sector to suffer again and again until it collapses,” Mr Wasonga added.
Over 30 public universities and their constituent colleges will be affected across the country, while more than 500,000 students will be affected should the dons make good their threat.
“This will be the grandmother of all strikes. Lecturers are more energetic and determined than ever to fight for their dignity and constitutional rights,” Mr Wasonga said.