Moi University Lecturers Join Nationwide Strike, Demand Government Action on Collective Bargaining Agreement
“Where did we go wrong? Every day we are out on the streets, and nobody seems to care.”
Moi University Lecturers Take to Eldoret-Uganda Highway, Demanding Justice and CBA Implementation
By Jessica Nyaboke
Lecturers from Moi University have taken a firm stance, joining nationwide public university unions such as the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) in their ongoing strike. The nationwide industrial action was officially launched today at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK). Led by Chapter Secretary Richard Okello, the Moi University lecturers vowed to persist with their strike until the government fully implements the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Addressing the media from the Moi University School of Health Sciences, Okello explained that the decision to strike was not taken lightly but was deemed the only viable option to push for their demands. “We are protesting because that is the only language the government understands,” he stated emphatically. He went on to express his frustration over the government’s failure to honor the terms of the CBA, despite it nearing the end of its cycle. “It’s deeply unfair that after all these years, we have yet to see any of the benefits we were promised,” Okello added.
Joining him, Mary Chepkemoi, another lecturer at Moi University, voiced her own frustrations, highlighting the stark inequality faced by university educators. While lecturers at other institutions have received salary adjustments, she noted that those at Moi University continue to be sidelined. “We have really suffered. Others are awarded their dues while we are still left languishing. It feels like we’ve been forgotten,” she remarked.
The lecturers, joined by support staff, took to the streets of Eldoret, holding placards and chanting slogans as they demanded their rights. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the government’s repeated disregard for their grievances, with many pointing out that strikes have become their only means of being heard. However, the emotional and physical toll of the protests was palpable, with one lecturer lamenting, “At our age, being out on the streets is the worst violation of our rights.”
Chepkemoi also criticized the response from the university management, questioning why their pleas continue to fall on deaf ears. “Where did we go wrong? Every day we march, and yet, nobody seems to care,” she said. Her frustration was evident as she described their meager pay as “peanuts meant to silence us, like Panadol.”
Bob Odhiambo, Chairman of KUSU, reiterated their collective determination, stating unequivocally, “We will not return to work until our grievances are addressed. This strike is our last resort, and we will not back down until justice is served.”
The strike has gathered momentum across the country as lecturers and university staff from various public institutions continue to stand united, demanding that the government fulfill its commitments under the CBA.
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