Public universities across Kenya are bracing for an unprecedented shutdown as lecturers prepare to down tools starting tomorrow, September 17, 2025. The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has confirmed that its members will embark on an indefinite strike, demanding the immediate payment of Sh11.5 billion in salary arrears, a move that threatens to plunge the nation’s higher education sector.
The looming industrial action comes just days into the new academic year, leaving hundreds of thousands of students facing prolonged disruptions. UASU Secretary-General Dr. Constantine Wasonga, speaking with unwavering resolve, declared on Monday, “The strike is on. We are downing our tools come midnight tomorrow. No interventions by government have been forthcoming concerning our demands”. This stern warning indicates the union’s frustration with what they term as the government’s perpetual neglect of university lecturers’ welfare.
At the heart of the dispute are two critical collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). The arrears comprise Sh2.73 billion from Phase Two of the 2021–2025 CBA, which was due in July, and a staggering Sh8.8 billion carried over from the 2017–2021 CBA. The government had only settled the first tranche of Sh3.4 billion in January of this year, with subsequent payments now stalled, leading to widespread demoralization among academic staff.
Dr. Wasonga minced no words in accusing the government of reneging on commitments and making “empty promises.” He emphasized, “Our members are tired. We cannot wait any longer. Every time we sit at the table, agreements are only honoured after we go on strike. It has become the only language the government seems to understand”. This sentiment highlights a deep-seated distrust between the union and government bodies, including the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Treasury, and Ministry of Education, which UASU accuses of ignoring binding court orders.
Beyond the immediate arrears, UASU is also pressing for immediate negotiations on the 2025–2029 CBA. The union demands that the Inter-Public Universities’ Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) disclose its counter-offer and share guidance from the SRC ahead of a planned meeting on September 19.
UASU has stated it will only attend this meeting if provided with “itemised responses” to its demands, which include significant salary increases, expanded allowances, and enhanced retirement and death benefits. If implemented, the proposed new package could see graduate assistants’ pay rise to Sh86,594 and professors potentially earning up to Sh305,610 before allowances by 2029.
The impending strike is protected under Article 41 of the Constitution, which guarantees workers’ rights to fair labour practices, including industrial action, and Section 76 of the Labour Relations Act.
As the deadline approaches, the nation watches anxiously, hoping for a last-minute compromise to avert a crisis that could cripple Kenya’s higher education system.
