A fierce standoff continues to grip Kenya’s public universities as the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) has rubbished government claims that learning has resumed in several institutions, insisting that no classes are taking place anywhere in the country.

The union, representing lecturers across Kenya’s 40 public universities, has maintained that the ongoing nationwide strike now on its 43rd day will not end until the government pays the full Ksh.7.9 billion in salary arrears owed under the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and fully implements the 2019–2025 CBA.

Lecturers Accuse Gov’t of Spreading “Propaganda”

Addressing the press in Nairobi on Tuesday, UASU Secretary General Dr. Constantine Wesonga accused the Ministry of Education of “peddling propaganda” meant to divide lecturers and create a false impression of normalcy.

“The government says learning is ongoing in 13 universities and normal in 17. We challenge them to name even one classroom where a lecture is happening,” Wesonga said.
He compared the government’s statement to a “national illusion”, arguing that the figures were being manipulated to weaken the lecturers’ collective voice.

“If Alliance, Mang’u and Starehe have no learning going on, and one day school in the village is teaching, can you say there is learning in Kenya? Ask them if they claim only five universities have no learning, why are they so bothered?” Wesonga posed, drawing applause from the assembled educators.

According to Wesonga, no lecturer has returned to class, and all campuses remain “academically paralyzed.”

Government’s Position

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Education released a report claiming that learning activities had partially resumed in 13 universities, were normal in 17, and suspended in 12. The Ministry insisted that negotiations with unions were ongoing and that the situation was “gradually improving.”

However, UASU officials argue that such statements are an attempt to paint a false picture of progress and to sway public opinion against lecturers.

“They are using numbers to hide their failure,” said Dr. Wesonga. “If you say universities are operating normally, then go there and attend a lecture. What you will find are empty lecture halls and desperate students waiting for solutions.”

Students Caught in the Crossfire

As the stalemate deepens, students are growing increasingly restless. On Monday, Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) students took to the streets, demanding that the government and lecturers “stop playing games with their education.”

Chanting slogans and carrying placards, the students accused the government of neglecting the education sector and urged officials to meet UASU’s demands immediately.

“We have been home for more than a month. Our parents are asking why we are wasting time, yet we pay fees. If the government can find billions for politicians, why not pay the lecturers?” lamented Amina Yusuf, a second-year student of mechanical engineering.

The protests, which briefly disrupted traffic along the Mombasa–Malindi Highway, were quickly dispersed by police. But the students’ message was clear they are tired of empty promises and endless disruptions.

Why the Strike Persists

The lecturers’ strike began in mid-September after the government failed to honor the 2017–2021 CBA, which guarantees improved pay and harmonized allowances across universities.
Although the Ministry had agreed to clear the Ksh.7.9 billion arrears, it proposed to do so in three installments, a move UASU rejected outright.

“Instead of paying the full Ksh.7.9 billion CBA amount, they want to pay in three instalments. That means another three strikes,” Wesonga said. “We don’t want to expose our students to more strikes until 2030. We’ll only return once the Ksh.7.9 billion hits our bank accounts in full.”

The union has also demanded that the 2019–2025 CBA be fully implemented, arguing that lecturers continue to suffer from stagnated salaries and delayed promotions, despite universities increasing tuition and administrative fees.

A Sector on the Brink

With the stalemate dragging on, the effects are being felt across campuses. Laboratories remain closed, graduation ceremonies postponed, and ongoing research projects abandoned mid-way.
Parents and guardians are expressing frustration, saying their children’s future now hangs in the balance.

University administrators, meanwhile, are caught between pressure from the Ministry and growing anger from staff unions. Some vice-chancellors privately admit that the crisis has crippled operations, warning that it could take months to restore normalcy even after the strike ends.

Education analysts fear that prolonged disruption could trigger a brain drain, as frustrated lecturers look for opportunities abroad or in private institutions.

The Road Ahead

Despite public pressure, the government has remained tight-lipped about when it intends to release the funds. Treasury sources indicate that cash flow constraints have slowed disbursement, but UASU insists that is not an excuse.

Lecturers have vowed to stay put, even if the strike stretches into next year.

“We are not afraid,” Wesonga declared. “We are fighting for fairness, for dignity, and for the respect of the teaching profession.”

As the 43-day strike continues with no breakthrough in sight, one thing is certain: Kenya’s higher education system is standing on a knife’s edge, and the next move whether by the government or UASU will determine whether classrooms reopen or remain silent.