Unions representing lecturers and non-academic staff in public universities will, on Thursday, October 8, meet with representatives of an inter-ministerial committee in make-or-break talks over a strike by workers that has grounded operations across campuses.
The Nation has established that the various parties separately met on Tuesday and presented their demands and proposals to kick-start negotiations for the 2025-2029 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), then settled for a meeting at 10.00 am on Thursday at the Ministry of Labour offices at the NSSF building.
“We presented our demands and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) have also made their proposals. It’s true we’ll meet tomorrow. We’ll brief you after the meeting,” said Dr Constantine Wasonga, the secretary-general of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU).
The meeting will also involve officials of the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha), whose members are also on strike. The three unions insist that the government must commit to financing a new pay deal for them before they sign a return-to-work formula.
University Academic Staff Union’s Secretary General for the University of Eldoret Chapter, Dr Nyaberi Mogaka accompanied by Kenya University Staff Union officials at the university, other officials and members, during the launch of the nationwide lecturers' strike on October 02, 2026.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation
From the government side will be senior officials from the ministries of Education, the National Treasury, Public Services, Labour. The office of the Attorney-General will also be present. The Ministry of Labour is acting as the neutral party and arbiter in the dispute that has now lasted a week.
The secretary-general of KUSU, Dr Charles Mukhwaya, told Daily Nation that the unions requested the formation of the inter-ministerial committee after failing to find a solution in their talks with the IPUCCF.
“Once we disagreed with IPUCCF, we felt there wasn’t much we were getting from them because they have to consult other levels of government before committing. There are talks but we’ve not cracked the matter. It’s possible to end the strike and we’re going there with an open mind,” Dr Mukhwaya said.
The two sides held their first meeting on Tuesday and agreed to compile deliberations from their discussion on Wednesday ahead of the Thursday meeting.
Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General Constantine Wesonga briefs union members gathered at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) on the first day of the nationwide lecturers' strike on October 02, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation
On Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Ogamba, met with his National Treasury counterpart John Mbadi over the matter at the latter’s office. The meeting was also attended by the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Beatrice Inyangala, and Dr David Ndii and Mohammed Hassan from the Presidential Council of Economic Advisors.
“The government is committed to enhancing sustainable financing for higher education while advancing access, equity and quality,” the MoE said on its official X page.
On Tuesday, Mr Ogamba urged university lecturers and other staff to return to work “in good faith” as negotiations for the contentious 2025-2029 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) continue.
Speaking during celebrations to mark World Teachers’ Day Mr Ogamba said the government had demonstrated its commitment to addressing the welfare of university staff by clearing outstanding arrears under the 2021-2025 CBA.
He said the government was similarly committed to negotiating and concluding future agreements, including the 2025-2029 CBA.
“I therefore call upon all the university staff unions and the individual lecturers to reciprocate this good faith, obey court orders and return to work,” he said at the Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi.
“Let us not interrupt the education of our children over matters the government has demonstrated it is willing and ready to resolve at the negotiating table,” Mr Ogamba said.
Uasu submitted its proposals for the 2025-2029 CBA to the Employers' Negotiation Forum, including the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), in February last year, ahead of the expiry of the previous agreement on June 30, 2026.
The proposals cover salaries, allowances, pensions, research support, promotions, academic freedom and fair disciplinary procedures.
The union is seeking basic salary increases of between 36 and 68 per cent, depending on the grade. It has also proposed a 57 per cent increase in house allowance, a commuter allowance of up to Sh60,000 for grades 14A and 15A, and a Sh80,000 professorial allowance.
Uasu is further seeking annual book allowances of between Sh65,000 and Sh90,000, depending on grade, and annual leave allowances ranging from Sh50,000 to Sh70,000.
Why lecturers and university staff are on strike again
The union has also proposed passage and baggage allowances of between Sh30,000 and Sh70,000, alongside enhanced medical, dental and optical cover.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of an earlier industrial dispute that resulted in a return-to-work formula signed in November 2025 and subsequently adopted as a court order.
Under Clause 12 of the agreement, the IPUCCF and the three university staff unions were required to fast-track negotiations for the 2025-2029 CBAs and conclude them within 30 days.
The unions had submitted their proposals early last year, with Uasu submitting its demands on February 3, 2025, Kusu on February 13 and Kudheiha on March 5.
