The government has been given an ultimatum of seven days to resolve grievances raised by universities or face a nationwide strike.

The Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU) on Wednesday, September 10, warned it will shut down learning in all public universities and colleges if its demands are ignored.

UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga accused the government of failing to fully implement the 2021–2025 and 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).

Addressing the press, Wesonga voiced frustration over the government’s repeated delays in honouring the multibillion-shilling CBAs, despite numerous meetings and formal submissions.

“Today we are issuing a seven-day strike notice over failure by the government to implement the 2021-2025 Phase 2 CBA arrears for the 2025-2026 Financial Year totalling Ksh2.73 billion,” Wesonga noted.

“We can not wait any longer. But do not be surprised because we are used to this game. There is no CBA in public universities that we have negotiated without going on strike. And since it is what they want, now we are taking the game to their doorstep.”

The looming strike comes less than a year after a major lecturers’ strike in October 2024 over delayed salary arrears and the government’s failure to implement the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

That strike caused weeks of academic disruption as lecturers demanded improved pay, better working conditions, a 7–10% basic salary raise, and an annual 4% increment.

A last-minute meeting on October 29, 2024, between the National Assembly Education Committee, vice chancellors, and UASU collapsed after the government delayed releasing funds meant for salaries.

In January 2025, UASU again issued a strike notice, barely 40 days after signing a return-to-work deal with the State. The union accused the government of failing to honour a November 23, 2024, agreement that ended a 24-day strike across 35 public universities and two constituent colleges.

The deal, worth Ksh9.7 billion, was to be rolled out in three phases: an initial Ksh4.3 billion up to June 2025, followed by two Ksh2.7 billion instalments.

Under the CBA, research professors’ salaries were set to rise from Ksh283,087 in 2021/22 to Ksh345,816 in 2024/25, while the lowest pay was to increase from Ksh57,729 to Ksh63,647.

With first-year students having just resumed studies last week, all eyes are now on the government’s response to the fresh strike threat.