The incident at Karatina University involves fellow lecturers using vuvuzelas to disrupt classes where some lecturers were found teaching during a strike.
This disruption is part of a broader strike led by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), who are protesting delayed salaries and unmet demands from their collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The strike, which began on September 18, 2024, has led to widespread disruption across multiple public universities, including Karatina University, as lecturers demand better pay and fulfillment of prior agreements.
Lecturers have been particularly vocal about the lack of salary adjustments promised between 2021 and 2025. In response to those continuing to teach, striking colleagues have resorted to creative forms of protest like using vuvuzelas to ensure participation in the strike.
The atmosphere at Karatina University reflects the larger national unrest among public university workers who are demanding fair treatment and salary increments similar to those awarded to other government employees