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KU students to resume studies as varsities crack down on striking lecturers


Kenyatta University has recalled students to resume studies Monday next week amid uncertainty over the ongoing lecturers’ strike.

A notice by Kenyatta University deputy Vice Chancellor John Okumu said that academic programmes will resume and be completed as earlier planned.

“The university has made necessary arrangements to ensure continuation of lectures for the second semester 2017/2018,” Prof Okumu announced on Thursday.

BETTER OFFER

But reacting to the announcement, Universities Academic Staff Union Secretary General Constantine Wasonga said lecturers will only resume work after getting a better offer.

Kenyatta University lecturers were last week asked to sign forms indicating their willingness to teach.

Technical University of Kenya has also recalled students to resume studies.

“It has emerged that an overwhelming number of staff are willing and ready to continue discharging their duties. Consequently, all students are advised to be in their respective lecture venues and laboratories as per the timetable to continue with their academic activities,” Deputy Vice chancellor in charge of administration and planning Joseph Kiplang’at wrote in a memo last week.

CRACKDOWN

The two varsities are part of an ongoing crackdown on striking lecturers.

University of Nairobi (UoN) had last week suspended 35 lecturers after they declined to return to work following a ruling by the Labour Court that declared the strike illegal and unprotected.

UoN last month denied more than 1,200 staff their salaries for boycotting work.

At Moi University, Vice-Chancellor Isaac Kosgey warned that the striking staff will not get their salaries.

The lecturers’ strike, which started on March 1, has paralysed learning in all 31 public universities. Lecturers are demanding for Sh38 billion in a Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2017-2021.