KENYA UNIVERSITY LECTURERS ANNOUNCE NATIONWIDE STRIKE OVER SH11.5 BILLION SALARY ARREARS

University learning in Kenya is set to face a major disruption as the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has announced a nationwide strike beginning Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The union confirmed its members will stop working to protest the government’s failure to pay Sh11.5 billion in salary arrears. This amount includes Sh2.73 billion from the 2021–2025 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and a significant Sh8.8 billion carried over from the 2017–2021 CBA.

​According to Uasu Secretary-General Dr. Constantine Wasonga, the strike is necessary because the government has not responded to their demands and has broken previous commitments. The lecturers accuse the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Treasury, and Ministry of Education of ignoring court orders to fund the CBA. Dr. Wasonga stated that striking is the only way to get the government’s attention, citing “perpetual neglect” of lecturers’ welfare.

​This industrial action comes at the start of the new academic year and could lock hundreds of thousands of students out of classrooms, adding strain to an already struggling higher education sector. A similar strike last year paralyzed universities for two weeks.

​Beyond the immediate arrears, Uasu is also pushing for new negotiations on the 2025–2029 CBA. The union wants the Inter-Public Universities’ Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) to provide a detailed response to their demands, including salary increases, expanded allowances, and improved retirement and death benefits. If a new package is implemented, it could significantly raise salaries for academic staff, with some senior professors potentially earning up to Sh1 million by 2029.