We can’t pay rent nor buy food, striking TUK lecturers lay bare frustrations
Some had not paid their rent and were on the verge of being evicted. Others could not afford medical bills, while some were running out of food supplies, forcing them to rely on aid from friends and relatives.
Sad tales of pain, anguish, and despair were etched on the faces of the (TUK) staff as we walked into a meeting they were holding over their prolonged two-month strike to demand their salaries.
Speaker after speaker voiced their struggles with deep sorrow. Some had not paid their rent and were on the verge of being evicted. Others could not afford medical bills, while some were running out of food supplies, forcing them to rely on aid from friends and relatives.
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The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) TUK Chairman, Jacob Musembi, said the suffering of staff could no longer be tolerated, as they had reached their limit.
“We work for a university that cannot even cover our hospital bills. Is this how Kenya treats its learned citizens?” Musembi asked.
In his view, it is disgraceful that they cannot afford healthcare or rent after going for two months without pay.
The Eastleigh Voice learnt from a source within the institution that some staff members had resorted to seeking financial help from colleagues to pay rent and buy food.
University Academic Staff Union (UASU) TUK Chairman, Jacob Musembi. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)
The strike has now entered its third month, leaving uncertainty over when normal academic operations will resume.
During the meeting, lecturers gathered near the university’s administration block, chanting solidarity songs and vowing not to resume duties until all their demands were met. They criticised the lack of response to their petition and pledged to continue protesting until their grievances were addressed.
UASU TUK Secretary-General, Dr Fred Savanje, accused the administration of failing to address their plight.
“We are holding peaceful demonstrations daily, petitioning the relevant authorities to resolve our grievances. However, we have not received any formal correspondence from any of the three arms we petitioned,” said Dr Savanje.
Among the grievances raised by the lecturers are unpaid salaries since September last year, the failure to remit statutory deductions such as SHIF, NSSF, and SACCO contributions, and a reported loss of Sh5 billion in pension funds.
They have vowed to continue the strike until all their demands are met and the agreed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is implemented.
Dr Savanje also highlighted the emotional and professional toll the situation has taken on staff.
“Our students are expected to sit their exams in a week’s time, but as things stand, lecturers are not in the right mental state to administer them,” he explained.
On Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba met with the UASU and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) in an effort to resolve the ongoing stalemate at TUK and other universities affected by frequent lecturers’ strikes.
Speaking after the meeting, Ogamba stated that discussions had established a framework to guide negotiations and facilitate the swift resumption of learning activities.
Key issues addressed included a structured return-to-work formula aimed at resolving concerns over lecturers’ pay and remuneration.
“We have been working on a return-to-work formula, and the technical team, comprising the Ministry of Education, TUK staff, and management, has developed a recovery roadmap for the university,” Ogamba stated.
Students' protests
Following its closure, all students were directed to vacate the university. However, they have been staging protests, demanding the reopening of the institution to allow them to continue their studies.
Police officers move to quell protests staged by angry TUK students who took to the streets last week, demanding the reopening of the institution. Photo: Justine Ondieki)
Last Tuesday, hundreds of TUK students, who had organised a march to the Ministry of Education offices at Jogoo House in Nairobi, were met with teargas and running battles with police officers.
In Kenya, lecturers’ salaries range from Sh99,409 to Sh140,683 per month. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a lecturer was estimated at Sh118,210 per month as of February 2025.
The strike notice, issued on January 16 by UASU National Secretary-General Constantine Wesonga, outlined the staff’s intent to stop work if their grievances were not addressed.
The notice also referred to the delayed implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA, which had promised salary adjustments and arrears.
Upon expiry of the notice, lecturers launched their strike, protesting near the university’s administration block while chanting solidarity songs.
As a result of the strike, TUK suspended diploma and undergraduate examinations, which were scheduled to take place from February 3 to 15.
Early last month, TUK announced that it was seeking to hold talks with lecturers to ensure the resumption of learning.
In a memo, Vice-Chancellor Prof Benedict Mutua stated that the Kenya Universities Students’ Organisation (KUSO) and UASU were actively working to resolve the issues raised by staff to facilitate the swift resumption of academic programmes.
He added that once the university reopens, students will be given two weeks to revise before sitting their final examinations.
“The university remains committed to dialogue with both staff and students as a means of resolving emerging concerns,” said Prof Mutua.
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