‘We shall remain outside’: Lecturers vow to continue strike until CBA is fully honoured

As the ongoing lecturers’ strike enters its third week, university staff unions are vowing not to resume work until their demands on Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are met.

At a joint press briefing in Nairobi on Wednesday, University Academic Staff Union (UASU) National Chairperson Grace Nyongesa said no negotiations were currently underway with university management or the government.

“We shall remain outside until the issues raised are addressed. There are no negotiations currently underway,” she said, insisting that the full implementation of the 2021–2025 CBA must be completed and that talks for the 2025–2029 CBA should begin immediately.

“We do not want the trend of negotiating CBAs at the end of the cycle. The 2021–2025 CBA must be implemented in full, and the 2025–2029 CBA then negotiated immediately. We are tired of pursuing our money years later and losing value. If this is not fully implemented, the strike will continue,” Nyongesa said.

Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya accused vice chancellors and university councils of misleading the public about the dispute.

“In 2025, the Attorney General issued an advisory, and the court ordered payment of our CBAs. Vice Chancellors and Councils are lying to the public and running away from facts,” he said.

“The court has directed that we be paid. Whatever they are saying now, the court has refused. We cannot negotiate a court judgment. Let them pay.”

Dr Mukhwaya warned that failure to honour the agreements amounted to contempt of court. He urged union members to stand firm despite what he termed threats from university management.

“Failure to do so means they are in contempt of court. We urge our members to soldier on and not fear the threats from VCs,” he said.

Lecturers want the State to settle Ksh.7.9 billion in outstanding dues from the 2017-2021 CBA and also commence new talks for the 2025-2029 CBA.

The ongoing paralysis of learning in public universities mirrors a similar one last year, which saw the semester spill over to the first quarter of this year.

Last week, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba warned striking lecturers that they risk disciplinary action, saying they are in contempt of a court order requiring them to resume classes.

Referencing the High Court order that suspended the strike, the CS said the government has released Ksh.2.5 billion to address the grievances raised by the dons.

Treasury released the amount to be utilized in the implementation of Phase 2 of the 2021-2025 CBAs in a bid to quell the impending strike, but the lecturers hold that all pending fiscal arrears have not been honoured.