Tension at MMUST as lecturers confront colleague accused of teaching during strike

Tension has reportedly erupted among lecturers at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) after a virtual staff meeting turned confrontational over allegations that one of their colleagues continued conducting classes despite an ongoing lecturers’ strike.

The incident came into the spotlight after a screen recording of the online meeting was circulated on social media by Kenya Gossip Club. The meeting, reportedly attended by nearly 100 staff members, became heated as lecturers questioned the alleged decision to continue teaching while their colleagues participated in the industrial action.

In the circulating footage, several participants can be seen engaging in an increasingly tense exchange, with multiple voices heard speaking at the same time. Some lecturers reportedly expressed frustration, arguing that the effectiveness of collective industrial action depends on staff members maintaining a united position.

The lecturer at the centre of the discussion appears to face questions from colleagues seeking an explanation over the alleged continuation of lessons.

The reactions displayed during the virtual meeting have also attracted attention, with some participants appearing to respond using laughing emojis as the disagreement unfolded.

A message referring to MMUST comrades was also visible on the screen, adding to the online reactions surrounding the exchange.

The recording has since generated debate among social media users, with differing opinions emerging over the lecturers’ disagreement.

Some users have expressed support for colleagues who challenged the alleged continuation of classes, arguing that collective action can lose its effectiveness when members do not adhere to a shared position.

Others have questioned the manner in which the disagreement reportedly unfolded, suggesting that disputes among professionals should be handled through constructive dialogue and established institutional channels.

The reported incident comes amid industrial action by university lecturers over employment-related grievances, including working conditions and the implementation of agreed benefits.

Industrial disputes in public universities can disrupt academic programmes, delay examinations and leave students uncertain about when normal learning activities will resume.

Such disputes can also expose differences among staff members over whether to participate in a strike, continue working or pursue alternative approaches to resolving disagreements with university management.

The MMUST incident illustrates how internal disagreements during industrial action can spill into the public domain when recordings of private or semi-private online meetings circulate on social media.

The identity of the lecturer at the centre of the controversy has not been independently established from the account accompanying the circulating video.

The allegation that the lecturer continued teaching during the strike also remains unverified. No official statement from MMUST addressing the incident was included in the report from which the claims emerged.

The footage therefore offers a glimpse into an alleged disagreement among university staff, but the full circumstances surrounding the exchange remain unclear.

Further clarification from the university and the relevant lecturers’ representatives would be necessary to establish what prompted the confrontation and whether the alleged conduct breached any collective industrial-action arrangements.