Lecturers at Maasai Mara University have abandoned their colleagues in agitating for pay rise and resumed teaching. They have for the past one week been teaching as students who had left for home continue to return.
Today, some lecturers kept off lecture halls after word went round that their national union officials would visit to reprimand them for resuming duties yet the countrywide strike had not been called off.
However, they returned to work in the afternoon after they failed to arrive. Lectures have even been going on even at night to evade detection, the management says. “We have decided to teach as we wait for the outcome of the talks between the government and the union. We are optimistic it will bear fruits soon,” said one who declined to be named. Boniface Isalambo, a Languages, Linguistics and Culture don said most of them have decided to return to work and asked students who have not reported back to do so.
“We didn’t teach for three months when students were sent home after they went on rampage in November. If we adhere to what the national office wants, students will lose a lot and interfere with their academic calendar,” he said.
Part time lecturers have been during the life of the strike been teaching, it has been established. Second and third year students are expected to report back in June after the November riots. “The lecturers resolve to continue teaching is welcome.
“It will enable them to finish with the first and fourth year before the June group come,” said Dr James Nampushi, Registrar Administration. Meanwhile, the university staff including lecturers are yet to receive their February salary.