Lecturers at Kirinyaga University have officially begun their strike. The dons accuse the government of failing to honor the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The deal, worth Sh9.7 billion, was to be rolled out in three phases. So far, only the first tranche has been released.
The Dispute Over Payments
In January, the government disbursed the first phase. The second phase, amounting to Sh2.7 billion, was due in July. According to the lecturers, the money never arrived.
On Tuesday, the Treasury said it had released Sh2.5 billion to clear part of the arrears. It also urged the lecturers to suspend their nationwide strike.
But union leaders rejected the move. They said the government’s promise was not enough.
“Lecturers don’t eat promissory notes. If there’s no money, then there will be a strike,” said Lucas Macharia, UASU chairperson in Kirinyaga County.
Frustration With Delays
Branch Secretary General Robert Gitau accused the government of dragging its feet. He noted that the 2017-2021 CBA was also implemented in piecemeal, leaving Sh8.8 billion in arrears.
Gitau added that the current CBA expired in June. Proposals for the next agreement have already been submitted, but the government is yet to make a counteroffer.
Kirinyaga University Staff Union Secretary General Stephen Kahungura echoed the frustrations. He said talks with the government have yielded no results, despite evidence of wasteful spending elsewhere.
Strike Spreads Nationwide
The strike is not limited to Kirinyaga University. Lecturers across 41 public universities are expected to down their tools.
This raises fears of a major disruption in Kenya’s higher education sector if the dispute drags on.
