No pay, no exams for students, striking TUK lecturers vow

Learning activities at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) was paralyzed for the third day after lecturers downed their tools over unpaid salaries.

The strike marks the third consecutive day of disruptions at TUK, leaving uncertainty over when normal academic operations will resume.

This comes as the university tries to compensate for time that was lost last year during a similar industrial action.

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On Monday January 27, lecturers gathered near the university’s administration block, chanting solidarity songs during peaceful demonstrations. They criticized the lack of response to their petition and vowed to continue protesting until their demands are fulfilled.

The lecturers, led by the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) TUK Secretary General Dr. Fred Savanje, accuse the administration for failing to address their plight.

“We are holding peaceful demonstrations on a daily basis, petitioning the relevant authorities to resolve our grievances. However, we have not received any formal correspondence from any of the three arms we petitioned,” lamented Dr. Savanje.

He emphasized the toll the strike has impacted on learning stressing that the strike would continue until their demands are met.

“As you can see, there is no learning taking place here and in days to come until the administration bows to the pressure and releases our money,” he stated.

Among their grievances raised by dons include unpaid salaries since September last year, failure to remit statutory deductions such as NHIF, NSSF, and SACCO contributions, and a reported loss of Sh. 5 billion in pension funds.

They have vowed to continue with the strike until all their demands are fulfilled and the agreed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is reached.

Dr. Savanje also highlighted the emotional and professional toll the situation has taken on staff. “Our students are expected to sit for their exams in a week’s time, but as things stand, dons are not in the right mental position to administer exams,” he explained.

Learning activities at the university have been severely disrupted, with empty lecture halls and students seen studying under trees or in hostels as they prepare for upcoming Continuous Assessment Tests.

Dr. Lynda Allan, another lecturer at TUK, described the strike as entirely successful.

“We are not relenting, not going back. We are fighting for the rights of the voiceless. Some of our lecturers are retiring without anything to show for their years of service in terms of pension,” she said.

She added, “Last week, we buried a colleague who succumbed to depression over the arrears.”

The strike notice, issued on January 16 by UASU National Secretary-General Constantine Wesonga, outlined the staff’s intent to stop work if their grievances were not addressed.

The notice also referred to the delayed implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which had promised salary adjustments and arrears.

On the expiry of the notice, last week on Thursday, the lecturers launched their strike today protesting in the institution near the university's administration block chanting solidarity songs.

"We are holding peaceful demonstrations on a daily basis petitioning the relevant authorities to resolve our grievances. However, we have not received any formal correspondence from any of the three arms that we petitioned," lamented Savanje.

UASU Organizing Secretary Onesmas Maluki criticized the lack of response to their petition, which highlighted the severe impact of the delayed salaries on their welfare and productivity.

“We agreed that the new salaries for university lecturers would be implemented in December, including arrears for October and November. Instead, we went for Christmas without the promised salaries,” noted Maluki.