Kenya Socialist Web Site


November 13th  2003

 

STRIKING UNIVERSITY LECTURERS IN KENYA: SOLIDARITY MESSAGE

 

On Monday November 10th 2003, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), an umbrella Union for lecturers in Kenya’s six Universities, led their members in an indefinite strike action to demand higher wages and allowances after the Narc government failed to reach an agreement with UASU last Friday over the planned strike. The beginning of the strike provoked a close down of all six universities in Kenya by the government as students declared an unequivocal support for their striking lecturers. The strike has already received strong support from UDASA (University of Dar es salam Academic Staff Assembly) which has outlined articulately the main issues in the dispute. We agree with UDASA’s views and also wish to add our voice in favour of the 2 day old strike.

 

The Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance (KSDA) supports the striking lecturers because their struggle is legitimate, timely and long overdue. The lecturers strike comes at a time when many workers have resorted to strike action as a way of fighting for their rights in Kenya after the government failed to give them an audience. Unfortunately, many of these strikes have been defeated with workers failing to achieve their key objectives. These defeats have mainly been due to lack of political/Union support or, in the case of Kenyan Teachers, betrayals by compromised Union bureaucracy. It is very encouraging that UASU leadership has vowed to continue with the strike until their demands are met.

 

What the lecturers need to do now as the strike takes root is to form “Strike committees” at all Universities. The work of these Committees should be to keep all lecturers informed about the development of the strike, compile and disseminate reports about the strike from other Universities across the country and to co-ordinate with local branches of UASU to develop new strategies in the cause of the strike.

 

In the city of Nairobi and other towns where the Universities are located, branches of UASU, in conjunction with “Strike committees” should organize regular demonstrations to keep up the tempo and boost morale of the striking lecturers. The demos should be complete with banners, placards, leaf-lets, speakers and slogans attacking the government for having neglected the lecturers and other workers in Kenya who are living on starvation wages. During the strike, UASU should approach other Unions to discuss possibilities of sympathy strikes by workers in other sectors.

 

The fact that the students are supporting the strike is a major booster. What UASU leadership should do is to utilize the support of the students (wherever they can be reached) by mobilizing them to join demonstrations as a way of keeping pressure on the government to act. The demos should also be able to attract media attention thereby keeping the strike on the lime light.

 

At the International level, KSDA could mobilize International support for the strike from University lecturers and other workers around the world, not just to back up the strike but to also demonstrate the impact and possibilities of International working class unity on common issues of interest.  The Alliance could approach International workers’ organizations and Trade Unions to show solidarity with the striking lecturers by supporting the strike as a way of putting more pressure on the government to act on the lecturer’s demands.

 

The last time the lecturers went on strike was in 1994 when they stayed out of work for eight months. However, their demands were never met by the brutal dictatorship of former President Daniel arap Moi which used an iron fist to crush any activity within the workers’ Movement in Kenya. KSDA hopes that UASU will not be intimidated by the Narc government into calling off the strike without their major demands being met. Since Narc took over power, there have been several strikes in Kenya, a tendency that demonstrates the recalcitrance and fighting nature of Kenyan workers even in the absence of a revolutionary political party to support them.

 

The continued resort to strike actions by workers in Kenya shows the disparity of the situation and the urgent need for the setting up of a Workers party to take up the political aspects of worker’s struggles that are currently not being addressed by any party in the country. The series of strikes also calls for the introduction of working class politics in Kenya around the ideas of a workers democracy and Socialism. In the current dispute between the lecturers and the government, KSDA demands that:

 

  • The Narc government end starvation wages currently being handed out to lecturers in Kenya’s six public Universities.

 

  • That the government stop the “tough talk” and wanton intimidation of the striking lecturers by government Ministers.

 

  • That the government end worn out KANU tactics of setting up “Committees” and hopeless “Task Forces” to look into the dispute between the striking lecturers and the government.

 

  • That the government stop saying that there is no money when MPs have awarded themselves over half a million salaries, the President earning Ksh 2 million while individuals doing nothing are earning Ksh 2.5 million. There is money in Kenya!!

 

  • No secret negotiations and underhand deals with UASU that will end in betrayals and disappointments of the lecturers who are focused on victory. Pay hike for the lecturers now, not February next year!!

 

  • No more tricks with the lecturers about salary increments based on years of installments as happened with the Teachers. Starving Kenyan Workers have been cheated for too long!  

 

As the strike continues to bite, we appeal to workers in other sectors to stage sympathy strikes in solidarity with the lecturers as a way of putting the issue of starvation wages dished to Kenyan workers on the National agenda. We also appeal to other Unions in Kenya to follow UASU’s example and get into struggle to fight for legitimate interests of workers in Kenya. When it comes to the interest of workers, there is no language the new government will understand apart from the language of strikes, sit-ins, occupations, demonstrations and street protests.

 

Okoth Osewe

Secretary

Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance (KSDA)

 

Published by Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance (KSDA)
email: harakatips@hotmail.com

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