We can't afford to keep varsities closed further

Members of UASU, KUSU and KUDHEIHA in a solidarity song at Egerton University, when the three unions began a nationwide strike. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The collapse of talks between the government and university staff unions on Monday, is a serious indictment of Kenya’s approach to public university education. After weeks of disruption and mounting anxiety among students, parents and university communities, the latest negotiations have ended without a settlement, prolonging a strike that began on October 2.

Sadly, governments’ flip-flopping is partly to blame for worsening the crisis. Initially the government proposed Sh9.76 billion for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). On October 12, it offered Sh12 billion.

On Monday, it tabled a verbal counter-offer of Sh11,958,504,776, approximately Sh11.96 billion. Although this is higher than the initial proposal, it remains marginally below the earlier Sh12 billion offer. Expectedly, the unions rejected it.

The central question is not whether the government should spend without restraint. It is whether the offer addresses the substance of the dispute and provides a credible basis for concluding negotiations. After weeks of waiting, the public reasonably expected a comprehensive, documented proposal capable of moving the parties towards an agreement.

The lecturers’ demands are not beyond rational consideration. Five issues deserve serious attention. First, a negotiated salary review that reflects differences in academic grades, responsibilities and the cost of living. The union has proposed basic salary increases ranging from 36 to 68 per cent depending on grade. These are negotiating demands, not automatic entitlements, but they deserve transparent evaluation rather than dismissal through a single headline figure.

Second, harmonisation of allowances across public universities. Staff performing comparable duties should receive comparable benefits, unless differences are justified by clear criteria such as location, hardship or operational costs. A lecturer serving in Turkana should not be disadvantaged arbitrarily compared with a counterpart elsewhere.

Third, inflation-sensitive remuneration. The Central Bank of Kenya reports annual inflation of 6.76 per cent for September 2026. Against that backdrop, a proposed three per cent salary increase raises legitimate questions about purchasing power, especially when some allowances have reportedly remained unchanged for years.

Fourth, guaranteed exchequer funding. The unions want binding government commitments to finance the CBA directly through the National Exchequer, rather than leave universities dependent on student fees that may not arrive on time.

Fifth, the unions want settlement of outstanding arrears, alongside credible commitments on medical cover, pensions and staff welfare.

Needless to say, this strike is hurting more than the lecturers. Students continue to lose instructional time while parents continue meeting their living and accommodation costs.

At the next meeting, the government should present a written, costed and defensible offer, with clear timelines and verifiable funding commitments. Union leaders, in turn, should identify workable compromises without abandoning legitimate claims.The longer this impasse continues, the greater its cost to families, institutions and Kenya’s future.