University lecturers defy court orders, insist strike will continue

The nationwide lecturers' strike entered its second day on Thursday, as university dons defied an order from the Employment and Labour Relations Court.

The Wednesday evening court order temporarily restrained the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities’ Staff Union (KUSU) from calling, instigating, or inciting others to participate in any strike or other forms of industrial action.

Speaking at the University of Nairobi, UASU and KUSU leadership insisted that they would continue the strike, arguing that the court order only prohibits them from issuing another strike notice after September 18, 2024.

“September 11 is not affected; we are not calling for any industrial action which is new. We will abide by the court order. We will not issue another strike notice. We have already issued the strike notice and that court order is not retrogressive,” said UASU UoN Chapter Secretary General Maloba Wekesa.

“It should be understood that the members behind me are in a legally protected strike.”

UASU UoN Chairman, Ambassador Richard Bosire, added, “We shall continue in this strike as long as the government wants.”

The lecturers left learning activities in all public universities paralysed after they instituted a nationwide strike on Wednesday, citing delays in finalizing the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the government.

The unions' leaders also expressed concerns about delayed and insufficient pay for members, non-remittance of statutory deductions, and the State's failure to provide comprehensive health coverage.