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KENYA SOCIALIST DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (KSDA)
http://www.kenyasocialist.org
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KSDA SITE UPDATE:
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#Strike By University Lecturers in Kenya: Statement From
University of Dar es salam Academic Staff Assembly (UDASA)

#Striking University Lecturers In Kenya: Solidarity Statement
from KSDA

#Kamonji Wachira's Personal Tribute To the Late George
Anyona

#George Anyona: A Pioneer Kenyan Socialist Passes

#Building The New Kenya National Democratic Movement

#Police Holding Suspects For too Long, Says RPP

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)
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KSDA is a revolutionary Socialist Alliance which fights for
Socialism in Kenya and the World. The Alliance believes that the
fundamental social, economic and political crisis facing Kenya
today requires a democratic Socialist revolution with Kenyan
working class taking a leading role in the struggle. The Alliance
advocates for the formation of a Workers' Party in Kenya and the
abolition of capitalism in the country. Contacts: KSDA Box 74,
123 22 Farsta, Sweden. website: http://www.kenyasocialist.org.
Tel: 00 46 736533068.
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