Lecturers Begin Strike

The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) maintained  they would not return to class after a meeting with Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi failed to end the impasse. 

The university lecturers and non-teaching staff are demanding that vice-chancellors in public universities release the Sh7.8 billion owed to them.

The unions have also demanded Sh3.9 billion in house allowances and salary enhancements.

A spot check on Wednesday at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Egerton University revealed that lecturers had indeed downed their tools in defiance of the court order.

A Universities Academic Staff Union official said they had not been served with the court order stopping the strike. 

KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya says they were determined to halt learning in all public universities until the matter was resolved.

Earlier Justice Margaret Mbaru who barred the strike warned university unions that they risk facing contempt of court if they disobey the order.

The case before Justice Mbaru was filed by the management of public universities.

The case will be heard on the 17th of March, 2013.