Kenya’s public universities have entered a fresh period of uncertainty after lecturers and other university staff began a nationwide strike over a stalled collective bargaining agreement, raising concerns about disruption to learning, examinations and other academic activities.
The industrial action follows weeks of unsuccessful negotiations between university staff unions and employers over the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) announced that their members would withdraw their labour after rejecting a counter-offer presented by the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).
The unions said the latest proposal did not adequately address their demands, particularly issues surrounding salaries, allowances, medical benefits and staffing levels.
UASU officials have argued that the proposed salary adjustments are insufficient in the face of the rising cost of living. The disagreement comes at a time when Kenya’s annual inflation rate has climbed to 6.8 per cent, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
The unions have also raised concerns about staffing levels in public universities. They argue that student enrolment has increased considerably while the number of academic staff has not kept pace with demand.
The dispute has been building for months.
According to the unions, negotiations for the new agreement were expected to begin following commitments made under a return-to-work formula signed in November 2025. Staff representatives have accused university employers and government agencies of delaying the process.
The employers, however, have put forward their own proposal.
The IPUCCF recommendations included an 8.25 per cent cumulative increase in basic salaries over the CBA period, with the adjustment spread across the years. The proposal also included changes to house allowances.
The unions rejected the offer, saying it did not meet their expectations.
UASU officials have pointed to the difference between the unions’ demands and the employers’ proposal as one of the major reasons behind the latest industrial action.
The disagreement is likely to affect thousands of students across Kenya’s public universities.
Lectures may be interrupted, while examinations, research supervision and administrative services could also experience delays depending on the duration of the strike.
For students nearing graduation, the timing of the dispute is particularly important. Any prolonged disruption could affect academic calendars and the scheduling of examinations and graduation ceremonies.
Parents and students are now watching the negotiations closely, with many hoping that the two sides can return to the negotiating table and reach an agreement.
The strike also places pressure on the government because public universities depend heavily on government funding to meet salary obligations and maintain academic operations.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of wider financial pressures facing Kenya’s education sector.
Universities have struggled with rising operational costs, increased student numbers and funding challenges. At the same time, workers across different sectors have continued to demand salary adjustments as household expenses rise.
The current disagreement therefore goes beyond salaries alone.
For university staff, the CBA is a mechanism for determining pay, allowances, working conditions and other employment terms. For university management and government agencies, however, any agreement must also fit within available public finances.
That tension has repeatedly produced industrial disputes in Kenya’s education sector.
Students are now the most immediate group affected by the confrontation.
A prolonged strike could mean missed lectures, delayed examinations and interruptions to academic programmes. Students who depend on university facilities for research, accommodation and other services could also experience difficulties.
The unions have maintained that they are ready to negotiate, but insist that any agreement must address the concerns raised by their members.
University employers, meanwhile, face pressure to find a settlement that is financially sustainable.
The coming days are therefore likely to be dominated by negotiations, consultations and attempts to prevent the dispute from becoming prolonged.
For thousands of Kenyan university students, the immediate question is simple: how long will the lecture halls remain affected?
Source basis: Daily Nation reported that UASU, KUSU and KUDHEIHA announced the October 2 nationwide strike after rejecting the latest IPUCCF counter-offer; the report also detailed the competing salary proposals and staffing concerns.
Comment here