As lecturers down tools, students find ways to learn and profit from strike

It has now been over a month since the nationwide lecturers’ strike began in local public universities.

The industrial action, called jointly by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) on September 19, was triggered by frustration over the delayed implementation of a 2021 Labour Court order.

The ruling had directed the National Treasury to increase allocations to enable the State to pay lecturers their pending dues.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), however, appeared unaware or unwilling to act on the directive, pushing lecturers to down their tools.

While the strike has silenced lecture halls and disrupted academic calendars, it has also opened an unexpected chapter in the lives of many students.

Across campuses, from Bondo to Rongo and Maseno, a section of university students has decided not to let the idle days go to waste. Instead, they are finding creative, enterprising ways to make money, sharpen skills, and support themselves amid the academic uncertainty.

On one bright Monday morning at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology in Bondo, the clock ticks past 9 am a time when lecture halls would normally be buzzing with morning classes. But today, silence reigns.

In one corner of the university’s shopping centre, the 22-year-old Faith Momanyi, a third-year student, is arranging tomatoes, onions, and bananas at her grocery stall.

“This is what I do every day now,” she says with a smile, her hands moving swiftly between baskets. “Since the strike started, I’ve had more time to focus on my business. I don’t depend on my parents anymore.”

Faith’s grocery business, which she started a year ago, was born out of necessity. With the cost of living rising and university life becoming more expensive, she decided to invest Sh2,000 of her savings from pocket allowances.

She bought tomatoes and vegetables to sell on campus, and by the end of her first day, she had doubled her profit. That marked the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey.

“I realised that selling groceries was one of the best options for me as a student,” she explains. “I make an average profit of Sh5,000 per week, which I use to pay rent, buy food, and sometimes even help my parents back home. The little I earn gives me independence.”

Faith’s grocery now runs from early morning until 9 pm on busy days. The nationwide strike has given her full days to focus on the business, something that was impossible when classes were ongoing.

“Before the strike, I used to rush between lectures and customers,” she says. “Now I have more time to manage my stock and serve customers. I’ve not wasted this period at all.”

Vending cart

Still, her business is not without challenges. “Sometimes, fruits and tomatoes go bad before I sell them all,” she admits. “Losses are part of the journey, but I don’t let them discourage me. Giving up is not an option.”

Faith, however, hopes the government and the universities will resolve the strike soon so that academic programmes can resume.

“We want our lecturers back in class, but meanwhile, students should be creative. Instead of wasting time, do something constructive; start something small that can grow,” she advises.

In Rongo, another student is making the most of the ongoing disruption.

Jabez Bogonko, a fourth-year student at Rongo University, has set up his vending cart near Gate B, the entry and exit point for most students.

On his cart sits an assortment of boiled eggs, smokies, samosas, and chapatis neatly arranged and ready for hungry comrades. “I started this business about three months ago,” says Bogonko, adjusting his apron.

“When the strike began, I decided to take advantage of the free time. My business has really picked up.”He sells smokies at Sh10, boiled eggs at Sh30, and chapatis at Sh20 each. Most of his customers are fellow students, though he also gets community members passing by.

Bogonko’s entrepreneurial journey began with a Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) loan and some borrowed money from friends. “I started with two packets of smokies worth Sh540 and five trays of eggs worth Sh420,” he says.

“Then I bought a vending cart for Sh6,000, an umbrella, packaging materials, a jiko, knives, a dustbin, and a jerry can. In total, I spent about Sh26,000 to set everything up.”

His days start early. At 3 am, he begins preparing his stock - boiling eggs, cooking chapatis, and organising his vending area. By 7am, he’s ready for customers. 

“On good days, I make between Sh500 and Sh800 profit,” he says. “I use that to pay rent, buy food, and sometimes save for fees.” Weather, however, is his greatest challenge. “Rainy days are bad for business,” he says. “When it rains, students stay indoors, and the eggs might go bad. But that’s life—you adapt.”

Like Faith, Jabez doesn’t see the strike as wasted time. “This period has been productive for me,” he says. “Many students are just watching movies or sleeping. I advise them to do something that brings income. Even when classes resume, I’ll still run this business. I work with a friend, so when one of us is in class, the other manages the stall.”

Not all student ventures revolve around food. At Maseno University, Daniel Kamau, a 22-year-old media student in his final year, spends his days behind a computer counter instead of in a lecture hall. He runs a small cyber café near the university gate.

“I started this business about a year ago,” he says. “It’s related to my course because it involves digital work, printing, typesetting, designing and offering online services. I’ve employed several students here, too.”

Daniel and his team of eight open the café at 6:30 am and close around 9 pm, depending on customer flow. On an average day, they make about Sh3,000 in profit. “The strike has actually given us more working time,” Kamau says.

“Instead of wasting the day waiting for classes that aren’t happening, we’re learning business management and teamwork.”

The cyber café, equipped with computers, printers and stationery, also serves as a training ground for Kamau’s peers.

While the ongoing strike has disrupted learning, it has also revealed the resilience and creativity of Kenya’s young generation. Many students are turning downtime into opportunity, venturing into businesses that not only sustain them but also prepare them for life after campus.

Formal jobs

From groceries to digital services, snack vending to fashion design, students are doing what it means to be self-reliant in a challenging economy.

According to research by Santander UK, over a quarter of students (27 per cent) currently run or plan to run a business while still in university.

Of these, nine per cent are already operating ventures alongside their studies—up from six per cent in 2018—and another 18 per cent plan to start soon.

In Kenya, where the cost of living continues to soar and formal job opportunities shrink, such ventures have become a lifeline. “A university student can never have enough pocket money,” says Kamau.

“We have tuition, rent, food, transport, and social needs. A side hustle helps bridge the gap.”

The “smokie” business, now popular among students, has deep roots in Kenya. It gained prominence in the late 1990s when Farmer’s Choice Ltd, through Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), began supporting smokie vendors as part of its job creation initiative.

What began as a small street food trade has since grown into one of the most accessible ventures for youth and students across the country.

With as little as Sh10,000, one can buy a trolley, smokie stock, and basic tools to get started. On average, vendors make between Sh2,000 and Sh3,000 profit daily—enough to sustain basic needs and even save.

“The beauty of this business is that it’s simple and flexible,” says Bogonko. “You can start small, and as you grow, you learn how to attract more customers.”

Snacks like chapati, mandazi, boiled eggs, and smokies remain popular, especially among students who skip breakfast or need affordable meals in between lectures.

“I advise Kenyan youth not to be lazy or blame the government for unemployment,” says Kamau. “Even globally, job scarcity is real. The solution is creativity and willingness to start small.”

An estimated 50,000 students graduate from Kenyan universities each year, according to the Commission for Higher Education. This figure excludes those from technical colleges and polytechnics, many of whom also face the harsh realities of joblessness.

The lesson is clear: in times of uncertainty, adaptability becomes survival. And as Kenya’s university students continue to navigate the disruptions of the strike, many are discovering that entrepreneurship isn’t just a backup plan; it’s a life skill.

Faith plans to expand her grocery store into a mini market. Bogonko dreams of turning his smokie cart into a mobile food joint that serves different campuses.

Daniel hopes to rebrand his cyber café and introduce photography and digital printing services once he graduates.