Maasai Mara University students have threatened to go on the rampage if the lecturers' strike is not resolved this week.
Through their union chairman Robert Korir, they said they will join their colleagues from other institutions in countrywide demonstrations for the government to the end the stalemate.
Speaking to journalists in Narok town yesterday, Korir said the strike is affecting the university programme, meaning their stay will be extended.
“The students remained at the university after lecturers went on strike two weeks ago and have continued to incur expenses in their daily upkeep, although they are not doing anything meaningful,” he said.
Korir said travelling back to their homes is not a solution because most of them cannot afford bus fare.
“We cannot travel back home as nobody knows when the strike will be called off. We are tired of idling around and no one seems bothered,” he said
Association vice chairman Jacob Fikirini accused the government of ignoring them. He said it is only at the universities where professionals are made.
“At the university, we get doctors, teachers, engineers and others, but we are wondering why the government has been mute on this issue,” he said.
Fikirini said the students have wasted a lot of time last year when their programme was interrupted for two months after they went on strike.
“Some of us were forced to extend our stay at the university. This issue must be resolved wimmediately,” he said.
Fridah Wawira, a third year student, said cases of insecurity have been on the increase since lecturers went on strike, as the students were just idling around.
“Many of us have had our personal property like clothes, phones and money stolen,” she said.
The ongoing strike has affected all the 33 public universities countrywide with the lecturers union demanding that the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) be signed and implemented.
The union also says their basic salary and house allowance has not been reviewed since the year 2010.