KUSU issues seven-day strike notice over delayed CBA

KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya. [File, Standard]

University workers have issued a seven-day strike notice that could see staff in public universities and constituent colleges across the country down their tools from October 2, 2026, over what they describe as prolonged delays in concluding and implementing their new collective bargaining agreement.

The Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) said the strike will begin on October 2 if the government and university employers fail to resolve the outstanding labour disputes surrounding the 2025-2029 National Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The union's leadership issued the notice to chairpersons of university and university college councils on Friday, September 25, 2026, accusing employers and the government of failing to conclude, register and implement the agreement despite negotiations having started more than a year ago.

Speaking to journalists at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, KUSU Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya said the union had exhausted negotiations, social dialogue and other administrative channels aimed at resolving the dispute.

“The Kenya Universities Staff Union will issue a seven-day strike notice to all chairpersons of university and university college councils effective October 2nd, 2026 at 0001 a.m.,” Mukhwaya said.

He said the decision had been reached after what the union described as a systemic failure by the employer to negotiate, conclude, register and implement the 2025-2029 CBA, which is intended to address the welfare of university workers.

“Despite our continued goodwill and numerous meetings and attempts to resolve these disputes through negotiations, social dialogue and administrative channels, the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum of the Federation of Kenya Employers has consistently demonstrated bad faith and lack of commitment,” he said.

The union identified two major issues behind the planned strike: the failure to negotiate, conclude, register and implement the 2025-2029 CBA and the failure by the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury to commit funds for the implementation of the agreement.

Mukhwaya said university workers, who are public servants and taxpayers, were increasingly struggling with the effects of inflation, high fuel prices and the rising cost of living.

“Now, colleagues, we are issuing a strike notice to all our employers and, of course, the government of Kenya. Our members are public servants in this country and, as public servants, they are taxpayers,” he said.

“We live in this country and the economic environment that our members find themselves in requires that they get cushioned against inflation, against the high cost of living, and against high fuel prices. You can go on and on and name everything.”

Mukhwaya questioned why university workers had not had their new CBA implemented while other public servants had their 2025-2029 agreements negotiated, concluded, registered and implemented from July 1, 2025.

“Our colleagues in the other sectors had their 2025-2029 collective bargaining agreement negotiated, concluded, registered and implemented as early as July 1, 2025. Why not the universities?” he asked.

“Are we children of a lesser God? Are we not paying taxes like any other? If anything, our members are paying some of the highest taxes that you can talk about. Be it SHA, be it PAYE, they are paying these taxes religiously.”

He questioned what university workers were receiving in return despite meeting their tax obligations.

“But what do they get in return? Nothing. And therefore we have been forced to issue this strike, not because we wanted to, but I think because the government wants it. It is actually a government-orchestrated strike,” Mukhwaya said.

He challenged the government to intervene within the seven-day notice period and resolve the dispute before the planned industrial action begins.

“If the government of the day was smart enough, they should be able to get hold of this matter within the seven days that you have given them and arrest the situation,” he said.

Mukhwaya warned that failure to resolve the dispute would trigger industrial action across public universities from October 2.

“Should it not happen, we are going to dance and give the government the best dance that we have always given them whenever they fail us,” he said.

The union leadership is currently holding a two-day meeting at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, where officials from universities across the country are discussing the dispute and preparing for the planned strike.

Mukhwaya said the officials had gathered to deliberate on the outstanding issues and prepare to lead their members if the government and employers fail to resolve the matter.

He urged the government and university employers to use the remaining days before the deadline to address the dispute.

“Let the government, therefore, if it has ears to hear, let the employer listen to us. If they have anything to listen from us, it is now. If they don't, after the seven days, on the second of October 2026 at 0001 hours, the strike will commence,” he said.

The current dispute stems from the transition from the 2021-2025 CBA to a new agreement covering the period 2025-2029.

Mukhwaya said the current CBA was negotiated and signed in November 2024, with both sides agreeing that negotiations for its successor would begin in February 2025.

“The one that is currently in force is the 2021-2025 CBA. We negotiated it and had it signed in November 2024. During that particular time when we negotiated and agreed, we also agreed that we will now negotiate the successor CBA 2025-2029 as early as February 2025,” he said.

He said negotiations began as agreed in February 2025, with the intention of concluding the process by June 30, 2025, so that the new agreement could take effect on July 1, 2025.