Too many strikes pose threat to our country's development agenda

 

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary General Akelo Misori led members of the National Governing Council on August 25, 2024, declaring teachers strike. [Mike Kihaki, Standard]

This week marks the commencement of industrial action in the transport and education sectors. A countrywide teachers’ strike over unmet expectations and government procrastination in the implementation of the 2021-2025 Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement, among other grievances, starts today.

The Motorist Association of Kenya protests against an increase in the Road Maintenance Levy from Sh18 to Sh25 per litre of fuel, police and county askaris harassment, among other concerns, also begins today. The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has also threatened to go on strike over delayed salary payment when universities open next week.

To cap it all, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union has warned of a return to industrial action in a couple of days if the government does not implement a court-negotiated return-to-work formula signed on May 8, 2024. Consequently, a lot of critical operations are at risk. 

The elephant in the room, however, is how the government plans to navigate through all these landmines, especially when the Treasury shows a lack of commitment. Last week, Treasury CS John Mbadi said there was no money to employ 20000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. 

Days later, Mbadi retracted his statement, acknowledging there was money set aside to hire JSS teachers. Such inconsistency speaks to a lack of genuine commitment to honour agreements entered into with workers’ unions.

It is inconceivable that Treasury CS John Mbadi would have the wrong information on the state’s fiscal matters. How can he be trusted to manage the ministry if he does not actually know what is in the coffers? Who is pulling the purse strings at the Treasury? 

A teachers’ strike called to coincide with the opening of third term bodes ill for candidates. We cannot afford a repeat of the 2015 strike that lasted more than two weeks and affected operations in the country’s more than 28000 public primary and secondary schools when more than 200000 teachers downed tools over similar demands.  

A day lost in the school calendar is hard to regain. The disruptions of Covid -19 in 2020 and the resultant compressed school calendar that put a lot of pressure on both learners, teachers and parents should have warned the government and teachers alike, of the need to minimise disruptions in learning.

Faced with the threat of Mpox, the need to keep doctors and other medical staff at their workstations cannot be gainsaid. We may not have registered many cases of Mpox, but the possibility is always there that things could get worse. Our borders are open and cross-border movement has not been restricted.

The critical role matatus plays in turning the cogs of our economy cannot be downplayed.

It is not too late yet, and both situations can be salvaged with genuine dialogue. To do so, there must be clear and sincere communication from the government.