The University unions led by University Academic Staff Union (UASU),Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) Chapter launch strike on September 17, 2025. [Robert Menza, Standard]
Learning across public universities has been paralysed after lecturers downed tools accusing the government of failing to honour two collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) worth more than Sh10.5 billion.
This is despite the Treasury committing Sh2.5 billion yesterday in an attempt to avert the strike.
The workers, drawn from academic and non-academic unions, are demanding Sh2.7 billion from the 2017/2021 CBA and Sh7.8 billion from the ongoing 2021/2025 CBA.
Union leaders warned that unless the arrears are paid in full, learning in public universities will remain shut.
“This is not just about figures on paper; it is about the dignity and welfare of the workers who keep this institution running. We can no longer continue working without what is rightfully ours,” said Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya.
The Treasury announced on Tuesday that it had released Sh2.5 billion to settle part of lecturers’ salary arrears and urged unions to suspend the strike while the funds were processed.
However, the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) maintained the industrial action would proceed until the money reflected in staff accounts and the government addressed Sh8.8 billion arrears from the 2017/2021 CBA as well as the start of talks for the 2025/2029 CBA.
The dispute over unpaid CBAs has been ongoing for years with UASU and KUSU repeatedly accusing the government of signing and registering agreements but failing to release the funds needed to implement them.
UASU had earlier issued a seven-day strike notice warning that 41 public universities would shut down if arrears estimated at Sh3.27 billion for lecturers alone were not cleared.
Court orders have directed the Treasury to allocate funds, but union leaders say the Ministry of Education and the Inter Public University Council Consultative Forum have made promises without delivering payments.
At the University of Nairobi, staff accuse the government of ignoring repeated appeals and negotiations.
UASU chapter secretary Maloba Wekesa said the strike had become the only way tutors could survive after years of broken promises.
“The inability of the government to measure up to the expectations of what our education should be has been forcing tutors to the streets. The strike is the way of survival,” noted Wekesa, adding, “he staff are owed 52 months in salary arrears.”
At Multimedia University, KUSU chairman Omondi Kosano declared that workers had lost patience.
“We cannot predict ending the strike any time soon. We can only do so when the government realises and comes to a serious mind to honour our money. We are going to paralyse learning in our institutions. We officially launch our strike,” said Kosano.
Kosano explained that the government had failed to fulfil the 2017/2021 CBA, amounting to Sh8 billion, and had not paid the second and third phases of the 2021/2025 CBA despite agreeing to settle them in instalments.
Only the first phase was paid last year for three months, leaving arrears of more than Sh2.7 billion.
KUSU Secretary General at Multimedia University, Gilbert Mitei, criticised government proposals as inadequate. “We join other universities in protesting government’s inability to honour what it committed to do for us. The proposal by the government to send the Sh2.5 billion proposals to marry is not a contract of marriage. We will not live on promissory notes,” said Mitei.
The strike has halted lectures, library services and examinations, with students fearing prolonged disruption. The unions have vowed not to return to work until the arrears are settled, increasing pressure on the Ministry of Education to intervene.
Galfen Muse, Secretary KUSU Maasai Mara University said the strike will go on unbated.
“We are here to fight for impunity in the education sector. The government has been playing cat and mouse game. Should the university staff go on strike so that the government can respond?” he questioned.
He urged the government to take dons welfare seriously same way they consider students’ demands.
“When you send students to universities, look at the welfare of those taking care of the students. The government has two days to redeem its image before we release the students to go home,” he stated.
Other university taken in the strike includes Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) Chapter, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.
