Nationwide strike gets boost with Uasu backing

By STEVE MKAWALE

Kenya: The nationwide teachers’ strike to press for higher salaries has received support from the University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) even as teachers kept off public schools on day one.

Uasu national secretary general Muga K’olale said in a statement yesterday that union members fully support the industrial action called by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), saying they (Uasu) were against abuse of Collective Bargaining Agreements.

“The Government must not only talk about democracy and the rule of law but must be seen to actually effect the same,” he said, as teachers in Nakuru County converged at union offices to kick off the strike that has seen hundreds of pupils sent back home. K’olale accused the previous regimes of violating the rights of teachers and other State workers without a moral compunction.

“We will not encourage the Jubilee Government to revise and abuse Collective Bargaining Agreements,” he said, adding that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration has the capability and capacity to resolve teachers’ impasse.

K’olale urged the Government to suspend the laptop project to a later date and address teachers’ problem.

“After all, it will be teachers’ assignment to tackle the laptop project and not the cosmetic politicians hell bent on doing business with the laptop international capitalists,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of public schools in Nakuru sent learners back home after teachers downed their tools yesterday.

Nakuru town was awash with students and pupils who were sent home shortly after 9am when it became evident at various schools that teachers would not report to work.

Lake View, Pangani, Bondeni, Baharini, Langa Langa, Moi, St Mary’s and Nakuru primary schools sent lower class pupils home, with those in upper classes studying without supervision.

Tutors were also absent in public schools in Njoro, Elburgon, Molo and Kuresoi. Students were spotted strolling in shopping centres.