The ongoing nationwide strike by lecturers in public universities has taken a new twist with the vice-chancellors warning that lecturers participating in the strike will not be paid for the days they have absented themselves from duty.
Further, the VCs as well as Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba now dispute the Sh7.9 billion arrears the lecturers are claiming and say they only owe Sh624 million. The strike that has paralysed learning in the public universities may take longer as unions representing lecturers and other staff called a press conference to insist the strike would continue until all arrears are paid the threats of disciplinary action, notwithstanding.
In a resolution passed following a meeting of the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (VCC), university heads directed that salaries for striking staff be frozen, and directed institutions that had already processed September salaries to recover funds for the days not worked.
The VCs further cautioned that agency fees and union dues could be suspended, and disciplinary action taken against lecturers accused of disrupting teaching and learning.
"Staff participating in the industrial action shall not be paid for the period during which they withdrew their labour and this directive shall be implemented through the respective university councils," said Prof Daniel Mugendi, the chair of the VCs’ committee.
"Public universities which had already disbursed the September, 2025 salaries shall recover the amounts corresponding to the days not worked in the subsequent month," he added.
Further, the VCs have placed disciplinary action on the table, directing universities to issue notices to “show cause” and initiate proceedings against staff accused of disrupting classes, interfering with students, or obstructing non-striking colleagues from performing their duties.
“The decision to withhold salaries for the strike period shall remain in force and shall not be rescinded even upon the signing of the return-to-work formula,” Prof Mugendi said.
On the contentious 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the VCs said they were acting on the advice of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Members of the University Academic Staff Union and the Kenya University Staff Union during a peaceful demonstration in Nairobi on September 24, 2025.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
“SRC has advised that Sh8.8 billion was disbursed between 2020 and 2021 and that Sh7.2 billion of the remaining claim was met through normal annual salary increments, leaving Sh624 million outstanding,” said Prof Mugendi.
Appearing before the Senate, Mr Ogamba also disputed the figures.
“Under that CBA, they argue there was an amount of Sh7.9 billion that was to be paid. However, SRC informs us that amount has been paid to the extent of Sh7.2 billion, leaving a balance of Sh624 million. So there is a question of how much is outstanding between what the unions are asking for and what the government is saying is owed. Because of that, the teams went to court, and the court ordered that the strike be interdicted and they go to a conciliator and have this amount verified after which the settlement of it can be agreed on. So, there is an order stopping the strike,” Mr Ogamba said.
However, lecturers have dismissed the VCs position as misleading, saying the claims on arrears and increments were false.
“As workers of this country, there is one court we truly respect — the Employment and Labour Relations Court. Had it not been for that, workers, particularly university staff, would be walking in rags and chains over their necks while government officials vomit on their feet," said Dr Constantine Wasonga, the secretary-general of the University Academic Staff Union (Uasu).
“We strongly believe the order that vice-chancellors are relying on was procured through non-disclosure of material facts. We will go back to court on October 6 for further direction. Let it be known; there is nothing we are going to discuss from the 2017–2021 period — we already have a judgment, and we are standing on it.” he added.
“If a man or woman is desperate, that is when they resort to threats and intimidation. Vice-chancellors are now peddling lies. The court has already directed that arrears be paid — what remains is for them to get the money and pay, not threaten workers,” said Dr Wasonga.
They insisted that the arrears stood at Sh7.97 billion as confirmed by the ELRC and upheld by the Court of Appeal.
“How could you pay increments before the CBA was signed in October 2019? On 3rd July 2020, the court directed implementation on a horizontal basis, which means annual increments were never paid. Their argument is false and confirms our claim that arrears remain unpaid,” Charles Mukhwaya the secretary-general Kenya University Union(KUSU).
The lecturers explained that the July 3 2020 ruling had directed implementation of the CBA on a horizontal basis pending further orders. This, they said, meant annual increments were not paid during the period, contrary to the VCs’ claims.
“It is simple logic. On 3rd July 2020, the court directed that implementation would be horizontal. That means increments were not paid because salaries moved in a straight line. So when someone claims annual increments were paid automatically, we are left wondering where that logic comes from,” said Mr Mukhwaya.
They also cited a January 15, 2021 court directive requiring SRC, the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), the Ministry of Education, and the National Treasury to make budgetary provisions for the outstanding amounts.
“How could you pay automatic annual increments before the CBA was negotiated and signed in October 2019? The automatic increments they are talking about never happened. This is misleading, and the figures they are quoting are lies,” said Dr Wasonga.
