The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has issued a fresh notice of industrial action that could cripple learning at the University of Nairobi, just days after the High Court ordered the immediate reinstatement of Professor Amukowa Anangwe as the chairperson of the university council.
In their latest demands, the lecturers have urged the government to act swiftly, warning that unchecked mismanagement could bring the institution to its knees.
According to UASU, if no corrective measures are taken, they will proceed with the strike they had initially threatened on February 25 this year.
"Those given the mandate to manage the University of Nairobi have decided to weaken the governance of the university so that they can exploit it and be used to dish out land,'' a statement from the UASU Nairobi University chapter stated in part.
"We are concerned that the university will not be there if the situation continues as it is in the next month."
Further, they are demanding that the government dissolve the entire university council, as recommended by the Parliamentary Committee on Education.
This is despite a ruling by High Court Judge Bahati Mwamuye, who ordered the immediate reinstatement of Anangwe pending the determination of his case challenging his dismissal by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
"For any reasonable progress to be made at the university, the council has to be dissolved. That is the position of the Parliamentary Committee on Education,'' UASU added.
"We are demanding that the gazette notice that revoked Professor Amukowa Anangwe's appointment should stay put."
Other issues the union wants to be addressed include an alleged removal of staff opposed to the leadership of the institution by the management of UON.
The union also faulted the management of the institution for failing to adhere to the retirement age agreement as set in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Additionally, the management of the institution is also in the bad books of UASU for a stall in the signing of the 2021-2025 CBA despite the completion of talks.
They also raised concerns over the grabbing of UON's land adjacent to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation(KBC) which they allege there are plans to grab.
