By Valentine Omondi
University lecturers and other public university workers have vowed to intensify their nationwide strike after negotiations with the government collapsed on Monday, 26 October, following the rejection of a Sh11.96 billion counteroffer for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The unions, led by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), accused the government of reducing its previous Sh12 billion offer presented on 12 October, arguing that the latest proposal would translate to an inadequate salary increment amid the rising cost of living.
The latest deadlock has dashed hopes of an immediate return to normal learning in public universities, where teaching and other academic activities have been disrupted since 2 October, when lecturers and other staff withdrew their labour over the delayed conclusion of the four-year salary agreement.
UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga said the unions were surprised by the government’s latest proposal, insisting that the offer did not adequately address their demands.
“What happened to the Sh12 billion they tabled two weeks ago? Today, they came back with Sh11 billion, a reduced counter-offer. We can confirm that the talks have collapsed, and the strike is now going to intensify,” Wasonga said.
The negotiations, which brought together the unions and a government Inter-Ministerial Committee, ended without an agreement, extending a dispute that has kept thousands of students away from normal university learning.
Unions Seek Higher Salaries
At the centre of the dispute is the 2025–2029 CBA, which the unions want concluded and implemented with improved salaries, allowances and better working conditions for university employees.
UASU has sought a five per cent annual salary increment alongside automatic annual increments that would bring the total increase to seven per cent.
The union maintains that the government’s proposed allocation is insufficient to meet the financial obligations of the four-year agreement, particularly given the rising cost of living and outstanding concerns over allowances.
Wasonga argued that the latest offer would translate to an increase of approximately three per cent in basic salaries, which he said was inadequate to cushion workers against rising expenses.
“This is an abuse of workers, given the current high cost of living, where even fuel prices have increased by more than 20 per cent. What does a three per cent basic salary increment mean under these circumstances?” he posed.
The unions have also raised concerns over house allowances, medical cover, pension deductions, staff promotions and shortages of academic personnel in public universities.
Wasonga said house allowances had not been reviewed for 17 years, arguing that employees deserved an adjustment to reflect the rising cost of housing.
The unions are also demanding a clear and binding government commitment to fund staff salaries and obligations arising from the CBA through the National Exchequer.
Government Offer Falls Short of Union Demands
The latest counteroffer follows an earlier government proposal of approximately Sh9.76 billion, which the unions rejected as inadequate for the four-year agreement.
Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala had appealed to the National Treasury to review the proposed budgetary commitment from Sh9.76 billion to approximately Sh11.95 billion.
However, the unions were dissatisfied when the government presented a verbal counteroffer of Sh11.96 billion during Monday’s negotiations, saying they had not been adequately involved in determining the figures.
UASU has argued that the financial requirements of the new agreement should be established through negotiations on individual components rather than through a predetermined overall figure.
The union has also questioned why the government would allocate approximately Sh9.7 billion to a four-year agreement when, according to Wasonga, a similar amount was consumed over two years under the 2021–2025 CBA.
The dispute has exposed wider disagreements over how university staff should be remunerated and whether the government has provided sufficient financial guarantees to implement the proposed agreement.
KUSU Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya accused the government and university employers of failing to demonstrate sufficient commitment to ending the strike.
He also rejected the suggestion that university employers could determine the terms of the agreement without meaningful participation by the unions.
Strike Began on 2 October
The nationwide industrial action began on 2 October 2026, after UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) announced their withdrawal of labour following the collapse of negotiations.
The unions had issued a seven-day strike notice in September, accusing university councils, the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury of delaying the conclusion and implementation of the 2025–2029 CBA.
The dispute persisted despite an earlier return-to-work agreement signed in November 2025, under which the parties committed to fast-track negotiations and conclude the new agreement within 30 days.
The unions subsequently accused the government and university employers of failing to honour the commitment, prompting fresh industrial action.
Before the strike began, the unions had also rejected proposals for salary adjustments and allowances that they considered insufficient, alongside concerns about staff shortages, delayed promotions and outstanding salary arrears from previous agreements.
The unions have further demanded the settlement of approximately Sh7.9 billion in outstanding salary arrears accumulated under earlier CBAs.
Parliamentary Intervention in Focus
The latest collapse of negotiations comes as the unions seek parliamentary intervention to compel the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury to provide an adequate offer backed by a written funding commitment.
On 23 October, the unions petitioned Parliament, seeking intervention in the dispute and urging lawmakers to ensure the government provides sufficient resources to implement the new agreement.
The National Assembly’s committees on Education and Labour were expected to help mediate between the parties as pressure mounted for a resolution.
Meanwhile, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said the government is engaging the National Treasury and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to improve its proposal and secure the necessary financial commitments.
However, the latest negotiations have failed to produce an agreement, leaving the strike unresolved.
Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime indicated that the government would present its counteroffer in writing, with the parties expected to resume negotiations on Wednesday, 28 October.
Until an agreement is reached, the unions maintain that their members will remain on strike, prolonging uncertainty for students and universities across the country.
