Lecturers Dig In as Nationwide University Strike Enters Second Week

By Virginia Siebella 

The nationwide strike by university lecturers shows no signs of ending, as dons insist they will not resume teaching until the government releases the full KSh 7.9 billion owed to them under the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Speaking at Machakos University, Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga accused senior government officials of frustrating negotiations. 

He singled out the Principal Secretary for Higher Education and a top university administrator, Prof. Margaret Mugenda, alleging that they were sabotaging the dialogue process.

According to Wasonga, the PS spent four days in Machakos holding meetings with Vice-Chancellors and select committee members, yet no tangible resolution emerged from the engagements.

The unions have also taken issue with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) over its claim that only KSh 624 million remains outstanding from the CBA. They argue that SRC’s calculations are inaccurate and misleading.

According to UASU, the actual amount owed to universities under the 2021–2022 CBA is KSh 16.57 billion — far higher than SRC’s figure. The union further alleges that KSh 2 billion disbursed in January 2021, which was believed to be part of the CBA settlement, was instead redirected to university capitation, a government obligation unrelated to staff benefits.

“We don’t negotiate for sustainability of CBAs,” the union declared. “The government had allocated KSh 8.8 billion, but only KSh 7.774 billion was accounted for. An additional KSh 200 million was never distributed.”

Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary-General Dr. Charles Mukhwaya reaffirmed that the strike would continue until lecturers receive their full dues. He accused the government of sidelining unions and only engaging Vice-Chancellors, a move he termed as “disrespectful and counterproductive.”

KUDHEIHA Deputy Secretary-General Charles Njoroge Mbau echoed the sentiments, saying unions had demonstrated goodwill throughout the dialogue process but the government had failed to reciprocate.

The committee formed to review the CBA has reportedly completed its work, but lack of consensus and refusal to sign the final report have stalled progress.

As the strike enters its second week, thousands of students remain stranded and the academic calendar disrupted. Lecturers maintain they will not back down, insisting their stance is justified by facts and unmet promises.