University lecturers told ‘strike must end now’ as government enforces court order
CS Ogamba said the Employment and Labour Relations Court had issued an order earlier on Thursday stopping the industrial action, pending a legally sanctioned conciliation process.
The government has ordered university lecturers to immediately end their ongoing strike, citing a court order that halts the industrial action pending a conciliation process.
In a statement on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the unions had already been notified of full payments made under the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
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“The Government has already fully paid the sum of Sh2.73 billion in fulfilment of its obligations under the 2021/2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The unions were duly notified of this payment before the start of the ongoing industrial action,” Ogamba said, noting that the strike has disrupted teaching and learning, affecting hundreds of thousands of students.
He added that the Employment and Labour Relations Court had issued an order earlier on Thursday stopping the industrial action, pending a legally sanctioned conciliation process.
Open to dialogue
“We therefore call upon the University Staff Unions to call off the current strike in compliance with the order of the court, to allow room for the conciliation process. The government remains open to constructive dialogue to safeguard staff welfare and ensure seamless operations in our universities,” Ogamba said.
The strike, organised by the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), is set to continue until lecturers receive delayed payments and unresolved issues are addressed. UASU has demanded that the government settle Sh8.8 billion in arrears from the 2017–2021 CBA and commence negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA.
The dispute stems from repeated delays in implementing CBAs between UASU and the government. Under the 2017–2021 agreement, lecturers are still owed Sh8.8 billion, while the 2021–2025 CBA, valued at Sh9.7 billion, was intended to be disbursed in three instalments—of which only the first has been paid.
UASU has accused the government of reneging on prior return-to-work agreements that temporarily halted strikes in 2024 and early 2025.
Financially strained
The union says the delays have left thousands of lecturers financially strained and disrupted academic calendars across Kenya’s 35 public universities.
Moi University lecturers joined the strike, saying industrial action was the only way to compel the government and university management to honour agreements signed with lecturers.
UASU Moi University Chapter Secretary Busolo Wekesa noted that only the first tranche of the 2021–2025 CBA had been implemented, while arrears from the 2017–2021 agreement remain unsettled.
“This is not new money; it was promised and is long overdue. Some universities have paid, but Moi University has not released a single shilling. Payment must be made now,” Wekesa said.
He further raised alarm over the university’s failure to provide medical cover for staff in the past four months, warning that the neglect had already cost lives.
The union also accused Moi University of diverting funds meant for staff arrears, despite government disbursements.
The current strike, backed by all 41 public universities, marks the latest in a series of industrial actions that have repeatedly challenged the government’s commitment to higher education funding and staff welfare.
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