Striking lecturers in Nairobi CBD arrested and tear gassed by police

At least 21 members of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) were arrested on Monday as they attempted to deliver petitions to the Parliament, Treasury, and Ministry of Education.

The lecturers, who are members of UASU and KUSU, had taken to the streets, accusing the government of failing to honour the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The union members were marching through the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) a week after they downed their tools despite orders by the Employment and Labour Relations Court to suspend their strike.

Both KUSU and UASU members had previously threatened to down tools over the non-implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The union leaders expressed their frustration over the delays in negotiating their members' 2021-2025 CBA with the government.

During the protest, the police responded by firing tear gas, dispersing the crowd and igniting tension in the city centre, while preventing the lecturers from marching to parliament.

The tear gas forced university lecturers to scatter for safety as smoke filled the air. Business in the city was affected, with pedestrians and traders also caught up in the chaos.

They denounced low and late salaries, non-remittance of statutory deductions and the government's failure to implement a comprehensive medical scheme.

UASU secretary general Constantine Wasonga said the unions were demanding a 7-10 percent salary increase. 

"We don't want any promises, we made our proposal on 4 September 2020. If you are still asking for more time in 2024, think twice! We are also civil servants and we want the 7-10 percent that other civil servants have been given," said Dr Wesonga.

"The 7 days’ notice we had given was to extend the window for government to come back to us with a positive response but none has come," added Charles Mukhwaya, KUSU secretary general.

The strike comes a few days after the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the lecturers to end the strike and return to work on September 18, 2024.

The court cited the disruption of learning at public universities and ordered both sides to resume negotiations while the matter was being dealt with in court.

Justice Jacob Gakeri ordered the suspension of the work boycott by university staff of the two unions following an urgent application by the Inter-Public Universities' Councils Consultative Forum of the Federation of Kenya Employers Universities Councils.

"Upon consideration of the notice of motion, supporting affidavit and annexures, it is hereby ordered that the respondent be temporarily restrained from calling, instigating or inciting others to engage in strike or any other form of industrial action in the interim," he said.

Judge Gakeri ordered that the matter be brought back to court on October 2, 2024, for further orders directing the parties to engage in negotiations to resolve the issues in dispute amicably to end the strike.