Lecturers' strike to start at 2pm, says Uasu

Universities lecturers today kicked off their strike, the third this year, in a move to force the government to honour a pay increase that they were awarded this year.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary General Constantine Wasonga on Wednesday said the government must release Sh5.2billion to cater for the increase.

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“We have asked our lecturers in 31 public universities to stay away since it’s only the language of strike that the government understands,” said Dr Wasonga after attending the union’s top decision organ meeting in Nairobi.

He said the government had promised to honour the deal but up to date there is no communication.

“We moved to 2013-2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement but some universities, except five, are still paying lecturers using the 2010-2013 CBA,” said Dr Wasonga.

He asked lecturers to stay put and reject any form of intimidation from vice-chancellors.

However, universities said they were still waiting for money from the government to effect the new salary scales.

Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum Chairman Paul Kanyari said the Ministry of Education is yet to release the required funds.

This is the strike this year after ones that were held in March and July.