By Kevin Odera
Learning at Egerton University ceased after lecturers officially went on strike protesting a 43 per cent pay cut.
The strike was declared by University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General, Constantine Wasonga and National Chair Grace Nyongesa.
“The situation at Egerton University is now a national crisis. No lecturer step in class at the university until the problem is resolved,” said Wasonga.
The strike took its course after the University administration failed to meet the lecturers’ demand of reinstating their full salaries.
The institution had earlier effected a 43 per cent pay cut as an austerity measure at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The union secretary general stated that the university had failed to act in accordance with court orders directing the reinstatement of full salaries and enactment of a 2013 – 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
He noted that the union will mobilize their members on Wednesday and gather at Jogoo House in Nairobi to beseech the government to intervene.
“The crisis at Egerton University has continued for more than three years. I want the whole country to be aware that there is a crisis here. We also want to know why it is only Egerton lecturers who are being paid 57 per cent of their salaries unlike other civil servants,” said Wasonga.
Egerton University Vice Chancellor, Isaac Kibwage said that the university is broke and unable to pay the lecturers as per their demands.
“We accept that we owe them deferred pay and this will be settled once money is available,” said Prof. Kibwage.
He regretted that the strike may interfere with learning and probably lead to the closure of the University.
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