Learning in universities paralysed as dons, staff strike over arrears

Teaching and learning in public universities ground to a halt on Wednesday after lecturers across the country went on strike over Sh10.5 billion in unpaid arrears.

The strike, coming barely three weeks into the new academic year, now threatens to disrupt graduations and stall completion of the semester.

The industrial action was declared by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu), the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu), and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospital Workers (Kudheiha), affecting all public universities and their constituent colleges.

It followed a late-night effort by the government to avert the walkout after the Treasury released Sh2.5 billion to settle part of lecturers’ salary arrears.

In a letter to Uasu, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi urged the union to call off the strike, saying the funds were being processed.

However, on Wednesday, Uasu officials maintained that the industrial action would continue until the money was reflected in lecturers’ accounts.

They also demanded that the government address two pending issues: Sh8.8 billion arrears from the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the commencement of negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA.

Students have also threatened to hold demonstrations in solidarity with their lecturers.

In Nairobi, KUSU Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya accused the government of failing to honour the agreed return-to-work formula and neglecting its responsibility to settle outstanding arrears.

“The government must respect court-sanctioned agreements and registered CBAs. Our members will not return to work until all issues are resolved,” he said.

At Maasai Mara University in Narok, learning was paralysed as academic and non-teaching employees staged a peaceful march to the university’s main gate in protest.

KUSU Secretary-General Galfen Omuse also faulted the government for ignoring multiple court directives on the matter.

“CBA arrears have accumulated to Sh3.27 billion. Despite a court directive requiring additional funding for their implementation, the government has not complied. We have no choice but to withdraw our services. Lecturers and staff in 41 public universities have endorsed the strike,” said Omuse.

Union officials, including UASU Secretary Boniface Isalambo, warned that if the government does not release the all the funds by Monday next week, students will be sent home indefinitely.

“Our members will not return to work until the government addresses all the issues raised in the strike notice,” the leaders stated.

In Murang’a, lecturers at the Murang’a University of Technology (MUT) also downed their tools, demanding that the government settle Sh7.9 billion from the 2017–2021 CBA before they resume work.

Led by UASU branch secretary Dr Stephen Njenga, they said the Sh2 billion reportedly released had not reflected in members’ accounts.

“UASU officials are impressed with the members’ determination to push the government to get their rights. We will only return to class once the arrears are settled,” Njenga said.

At the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM), workers under UASU, KUSU, and Kudheiha accused the government of failing to implement the 2021–2025 CBA in full.

In a joint statement, UASU TUM chapter secretary Prof Josiah Odalo, KUSU branch secretary John Ogwang, and Kudheiha shop steward Joseph Musyoka said Sh2.73 billion allocated for the current phase had not been released.

They accused the government of disregarding both last year’s return-to-work formula and a March 28 Court of Appeal ruling that directed the arrears be paid in full.

“We remain open to dialogue and meaningful resolution, but we shall not return to work until the government addresses our demands satisfactorily,” they stated.

At Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), lecturers threatened to escalate the strike if grievances dating back nearly a decade are not addressed.

UASU DeKUT chapter secretary Rev Anthony Mutuiri accused the institution of deliberately underpaying staff by placing them on a lower horizontal salary scale instead of the agreed diagonal scale, despite court rulings in their favour.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba appealed to the unions to reconsider their position and withdraw the strike notice, saying efforts were underway to resolve the matter.

But Omuse dismissed the appeal, saying the government was playing “cat-and-mouse” with university staff.

“It took a strike threat for them to act, and even then, the amount released does not address the full scope of arrears owed,” he said.

[Reports by Ann Musungu, George Sayagie, Boniface Gikandi, Patrick Beja and Amos Kiarie]