University lecturers begin nationwide strike over pay after talks collapse

Teaching and learning activities in public universities across the country will be paralysed effective midnight as the nationwide strike by the Universities' Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospitals Allied (KUDHEIHA) workers commences.

This after talks between the unions and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) hit a dead end on Thursday.

The lecturers have rejected an annual salary increment of 4 per cent proposed by IPUCCF, terming it a mockery, and insisted on the immediate implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers (KUTVET) has suspended its strike for 14 days pending further negotiations with the Ministry of Education.

The union said the strike followed the failure by university councils, the Ministry of Education and the Treasury to honour the Return-to-Work Formula signed on November 5, 2025.

The union is opposed to what it terms a rushed review of the curriculum in TVET institutions, reckless handling of national examinations by the TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC), arbitrary transfers and promotions, and an enhanced medical cover.

KUTVET is demanding immediate action to address its grievances, failure to which the union will instruct its members to down their tools on October 19, 2026.