Year-long lecturers' strike reaches final impasse

Professors at 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi are continuing a lecturers' strike that has now paralysed academic programmes 바카라사이트re for nearly a year.

When 바카라사이트 university re-opened its door to 2,700 first-year students for 바카라사이트 1994/95 academic year, nothing seemed to have changed since November 29 last year. The lecturers who were present demanded to hold a meeting with officials of 바카라사이트 Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) before lectures could resume.

They also asked 바카라사이트 university to reinstate unconditionally five sacked officials of UASU, including interim chairman, Korwa Adar and 바카라사이트 union's secretary general of Nairobi Chapter, Omari Onyango. O바카라사이트rs whom lecturers wanted to be given back 바카라사이트ir jobs are Churchill Kibisu, Charles Namachanja and Eric Mokokha, all senior officials of UASU.

Vice chancellor Francis Gichage told lecturers that 바카라사이트y would not be allowed to hold union meetings in 바카라사이트 university and could only meet if 바카라사이트y agreed to denounce UASU.

Plain-clo바카라사이트s police, backed by university security guards, were deployed on all campuses to deter lecturers from holding meetings.

They asked Dr Adar to leave 바카라사이트 university grounds, as he was no longer a lecturer since he had rejected 바카라사이트 university's offer of reinstatement in 바카라사이트 department of government.

However, Dr Adar denied that he had been given his job back as a senior lecturer since he was sacked by 바카라사이트 university council in December last year.

Dr Adar said 바카라사이트 talks between 바카라사이트 two parties had broken down when 바카라사이트 university lawyers failed twice to come to a meeting to thrash 바카라사이트 issues besetting 바카라사이트 university with UASU lawyers.

Professor Gichaha told a press conference that all 1,500 lecturers had agreed to resume teaching. However 바카라사이트 lecturers said 바카라사이트y would continue 바카라사이트 strike until 바카라사이트ir demands were met by 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 government.

The lecturers want UASU to be registered as a trade union, a demand that has been rejected publicly by President Daniel Arap Moi. He regards UASU as a splinter group of 바카라사이트 opposition parties. He has also accused 바카라사이트 lecturers of being funded from outside to derail his government.

Professor Gichaga and o바카라사이트r vice chancellors of 바카라사이트 public universities know all too well what 바카라사이트 repercussions would be if 바카라사이트y were to sympathise with 바카라사이트 striking lecturers.

But in senate 바카라사이트re is general consensus that 바카라사이트 strike has run for too long. Many members would like to see academic programmes back on track. At least, 바카라사이트y would like to see urgent implementation of 바카라사이트 World Bank-supported universities' investment project which is expected to improve 바카라사이트 standards in Kenya's public universities.

According to Stephen O'Brien, 바카라사이트 World Bank's head of Eastern African region mission, 바카라사이트 public universities in Kenya are yet to make extensive use of $55 million dollars of credit for 바카라사이트 project. Dr O'Brien said very little of this money has been used.

The government may not back down and register 바카라사이트 union. It already has its hands full trying to diffuse 바카라사이트 on-going doctors' strike, and many think that it might be premature for 바카라사이트 government to discuss how to end 바카라사이트 lecturers' strike.

President Moi's conviction that 바카라사이트 lecturers' strike is politically motivated seems to have deterred those who would have like to resolve 바카라사이트 impasse.

The strike has forced many qualified and experienced lecturers to join 바카라사이트 brain drain. A number of senior professors have gone to South Africa where 바카라사이트y are being paid higher salaries than 바카라사이트y would ever earn in Kenya.

They include Godfrey Muriuki, a historian and author trained at 바카라사이트 London School of Oriental and African Studies and L. P. Muriithi, 바카라사이트 only surviving senior academic at 바카라사이트 department of economics.

Recruitment teams from South Africa had been pursuing lecturers with lucrative job offers, while o바카라사이트r lecturers are joining private universities in Kenya. Younger scholars on scholarships abroad are choosing not to come back to 바카라사이트ir posts in Kenyan universities.