Maasai Mara University staff staged a massive protest on Monday, September 22, 2024, blocking the busy Mulot-Narok Town Highway. Organized by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), the demonstration saw hundreds of teaching and non-teaching staff take to the streets, demanding the government increase their salaries in line with recent pay hikes granted to other government employees. Chanting solidarity slogans and waving union banners, the demonstrators brought business to a halt, emphasizing their determination to continue their fight until their demands are met.
The Maasai Mara protest was just one of many happening across the country, as university employees nationwide grapple with rising living costs and stagnating wages. Despite multiple attempts by union leaders to engage with the government and secure pay increases, no significant progress has been made. As a result, the staff decided to intensify their efforts, resorting to public protests and strikes.
Collective Action and Leadership
At the heart of the Maasai Mara University protest was a strong sense of unity, with both academic and non-academic staff standing shoulder to shoulder in their fight for fair compensation. Leading the charge was UASU Maasai Mara branch Secretary General, Boniface Salambo, who spoke passionately about the importance of collective action in forcing the government to listen.
In a powerful speech, Salambo urged his colleagues not to relent in their pursuit of better pay and working conditions. He expressed frustration that university staff had been excluded from the recent pay increases awarded to other government employees and stressed that they deserved the same consideration. According to Salambo, the lack of progress in negotiations for the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has exacerbated the situation, leaving university staff feeling ignored and undervalued.
Salambo also issued a strong warning to any academic staff who continued teaching during the strike, stating that they would be publicly shamed as traitors to the cause. “If you find a lecturer teaching physically or online, please take a photo, and we will shame him or her on our platforms. We want to walk as one so that our voices can be heard,” he said, emphasizing the need for all staff to participate in the protest to maximize its impact.
The Secretary General’s statement was met with enthusiastic applause from the crowd, who agreed that unity was essential in ensuring the success of the movement. The protesters carried their message through songs, chants, and placards, with slogans like “Equal pay for equal work” and “We demand salary increments now” echoing through the streets. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of determination as the staff vowed to continue their protests until their demands were fully met.
The Root of the Problem: Stalled CBA Negotiations
One of the central issues behind the Maasai Mara University staff protest is the delayed negotiation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The CBA, which outlines the terms and conditions of employment, including salary increments and allowances, has yet to be negotiated and implemented, leaving university staff stuck with the same wages despite the rising cost of living.
Salambo emphasized the importance of the CBA in ensuring fair compensation for university employees. “The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 2021-2025 should be negotiated to allow increments in our basic pay and allowances,” he stated. Without these adjustments, university staff are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, particularly given the economic challenges facing the country.
The issue of harmonizing allowances across universities was another key demand raised by the protesting staff. Currently, disparities exist in the allowances given to university employees, with some institutions offering more generous benefits than others. The Maasai Mara staff are calling for these discrepancies to be addressed, arguing that all university employees should receive equitable compensation regardless of where they work.
The Economic Strain on University Staff
The economic challenges facing university staff were a recurring theme throughout the protest. Many of the demonstrators spoke of the difficulties they faced in affording basic necessities like food, housing, and transportation, as the cost of living in Kenya continues to rise. Inflation, coupled with stagnant wages, has placed significant financial pressure on university employees, forcing them to take drastic measures to make their voices heard.
Salambo highlighted the impact of the high cost of living on university staff, stating, “The cost of living has hiked for every Kenyan; hence, every worker should be treated equally by getting a fair salary increment.” He pointed out that university employees, like all other workers, are struggling to cope with rising prices and are in urgent need of financial relief.
Many of the staff participating in the protest echoed these sentiments, sharing stories of financial hardship and expressing frustration that their pleas for help had gone unanswered. Some spoke of the sacrifices they had made to continue working despite the challenges, while others voiced their anger at the government’s failure to prioritize their needs.
Protests Set to Continue Until Demands Are Met
As the protest continued along the Mulot-Narok Town Highway, it became clear that the Maasai Mara University staff were prepared to maintain their demonstrations until a satisfactory agreement was reached. Salambo and his KUSU counterpart, Galfen Omuse, both stressed that the protest was just the beginning, and that staff would not return to work until their demands were fully addressed.
Omuse, speaking on behalf of KUSU members, explained that the union had been pushing for salary increments and better working conditions for some time but had seen little progress. “Despite our national leaders pushing our leaders on the top level, nothing has been forthcoming, hence the reason we resolved to down our tools,” Omuse said. He suggested that the government might only respond to the strike if it saw the full force of the protests.
“Maybe the only language the government listens to is a strike. We will not report to our daily duties until our demands are met,” Omuse added, underscoring the determination of the university staff to continue their demonstrations until a resolution is reached.
Salambo outlined the strategy for the ongoing protests, advising staff to report to the university as usual but to refrain from doing any work. This tactic, he explained, would prevent the university from taking disciplinary action against employees while still ensuring that the strike disrupted normal operations.
“Kindly be warned that those who fail to report to the university could be issued with a disciplinary letter, which we will not be part of. I advise you to report as usual but do not work,” Salambo said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a united front throughout the protest.
A Nationwide Movement
The protest at Maasai Mara University is part of a larger nationwide movement, with university staff across Kenya joining forces to demand fair treatment and wage increases. As inflation continues to rise and the cost of living becomes increasingly unaffordable, university employees are calling on the government to take immediate action to address their concerns.
For Maasai Mara University staff, the road ahead may be long, but their commitment to the cause remains unwavering. As they continue to march and demonstrate, the pressure on the government to respond to their demands is likely to intensify. Whether through continued protests, strikes, or further negotiations, the outcome of this movement will be critical in determining the future of university staff compensation in Kenya.
