(NAIROBI, KENYA) – Students in public universities are feeling the effects of a lecturers’ strike that is now in its third week, with lecturers insisting they will not call off the industrial action until their demands are met.
Students have complained about the cost of living without classes, and want the government and workers’ unions to resolve the dispute.
“We are spending money we had planned for the semester even when there are no classes. If the semester is extended, our financial needs increase,” said Remmy Osoti, a fourth year student at Multimedia University.
University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary General Dr Constantine Wasonga said the union has rejected the government’s offer of KES 12 billion ($93.8 million), arguing it does not meet their needs.
Lecturers are demanding KES 7.9 billion ($61.7 million) in salary arrears, as well as pay rises and allowances.
Dr Wasonga said universities have about 700,000 students but only 10,000 lecturers, of whom 1,000 hold administrative roles.
He said they want the government to hire more lecturers, improve pay for part time lecturers and fund research instead of expecting lecturers to use their own money.
They also want allowances to be included in negotiations, and talks on workload to be conducted by agreement.
Wasonga warned that they will not accept a forced return to work agreement, stressing that both sides must negotiate the 2025 to 2029 collective bargaining agreement.