The crisis in public universities, now in its sixth week, has worsened after talks between the government and university staff unions collapsed on Friday. This followed sharp disagreements over how the long-delayed Sh7.9 billion salary and other remuneration arrears should be paid.
The meeting disintegrated after unions accused the government team of lacking the officials empowered to commit funds. The unions demanded the presence of the National Treasury, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour at the table, arguing that without them, any payment discussion was meaningless.
The unions also rejected proposals that they first verify the government’s figures or agree to a “return-to-formula” before resolving arrears and implementing the existing 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Union leaders say the strike will continue until the Sh7.9 billion arrears in the 2017-2021 CBA are committed to and paid in full, other outstanding bits of the 2021–2025 CBA are implemented, and negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA are meaningfully launched with the appropriate finance officers at the table.
On Friday mid-morning, there was a glimmer of hope when the parties agreed on the Sh7.9 billion figure on the arrears owed to the university staff, before the talks collapsed, again, on the details of how it will be paid and the commitments the State should make—and by whom—to reassure the striking unions.
Now, the unions have urged members to remain on strike despite pressure, arguing that partial or phased settlements would only postpone the crisis.
“We are not going back to class or calling off the strike until the 2025–2029 CBA negotiations are fully completed, and the arrears are paid. So far we only agreed that employees of public universities are owed Sh7, 944,519,929 as the 2017-2021 CBA arrears which they earlier were disputing. The unions have been vindicated — now that the government knows the figures, let them pay immediately. We are done with empty promises. Lecturers are not returning to class just to teach on hope,” said Dr Constantine Wasonga, the Universities' Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General.
Universities Academic Staff Union National Chairperson Grace Nyongesa, Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga, and Organizing Secretary Onesmus Mutio at the Uasu head office in Nairobi on September 10, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
“The strike is not about discovering numbers, we already knew the figure. It is but about implementation and honouring judicial and contractual obligations,” Dr Wasonga added.
The union leader urged members to remain on strike despite pressure, arguing that partial or phased settlements would only postpone the crisis.
“Let me be clear — we will remain on strike. Our lecturers have no mental capacity to return to class without money in their pockets. Inflation is high, the cost of living is unbearable. How do you expect someone who hasn’t been paid what they’re owed for years to teach effectively? The government must act now not with promises, but with payment,” said Dr Wasonga.
The industrial action, which began on September 17, barely a week after first-year students reported, has left thousands of learners stranded, with no lectures held since reopening.
The prolonged stalemate has sparked growing anxiety among students and parents, amid fears that the disruption could derail the academic calendar and delay graduations.
Previous CBA implementations
Frustration is mounting on campuses, with some students opting to return home, citing the high cost of staying idle with no academic activity taking place.
On Thursday, students from Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi threatened to join their lecturers in demanding that the government release funds and end the deadlock.
They accused both the Ministry of Education and university administrations of neglecting their plight, saying the ongoing strike has wasted valuable learning time and left them uncertain about when normal studies will resume.
On Friday, Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) chairman Charles Mukhwaya accused the government of ‘dodging’ the talks.
“You cannot talk about payments when those who, including officials from the National Treasury and the Ministry of Education, were missing from the table, yet those are the ones who can commit government funds not the vice chancellors,” he said.
Saturday Nation also understands that a proposal by the government to settle salary arrears dating back eight years in three phases was dismissed by the unions, who termed it unacceptable. They said it is unsatisfactory and insincere.
“We categorically said no. You cannot propose to pay a historical debt in three instalments spread over new financial years. This money has been owed for close to a decade. Lecturers have waited patiently; some have even retired without receiving what they rightfully earned. It is only fair that the government pays the full amount as a lump sum not another promise stretched over years, “said Mr Mukhwaya.
Lecturers pointed to precedent: previous CBA implementations ran into double-digit billions — for example, prior CBAs cost Sh13.5 billion and Sh9.7 billion in the earlier cycles so a Sh3.1 billion offer for a four-year deal is mathematically and politically untenable, they say.
With average inflation eroding pay (unions cite roughly 4.6 per cent), the proposed figure would amount to effectively a token two per cent uplift — well below their demands.
University Academic Staff Union and Kenya University Staff Union members during a peaceful protest in Nairobi on October 8, 2025. They want the government to release CBA arrears.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation
“Inflation alone is averaging around 4.6 per cent. Now, when the government offers only Sh3 billion, what that effectively means is a 2 per cent pay rise against a 4.6 per cent inflation rate. What are you doing? It’s nothing absolutely nothing. That’s why we rejected the offer and submitted our counterproposal, asking them to go back and review their figures and come up with something more reasonable,” said Mr Mukhwaya.
Union officials have urged members to “stay put”, insisting the strike will continue until the government honours its part of the deal.
“We sympathize with students, but the government caused this crisis by ignoring court judgments and breaching agreements. Until they respect our CBAs, there will be no learning,” said Mr Mukhwaya.
