Lectures Strike Take New Twist as Ogamba’s Meeting With UASU Ends in Disarray

UASU Rejects KSh 11.9 Billion Government Offer as University Strike Continues

Hope for a swift resolution to the ongoing university lecturers’ strike in Kenya has suffered a major setback after negotiations between the government and university academic staff representatives collapsed without an agreement.

According to reports by NTV Kenya, a highly anticipated meeting involving Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba and leaders of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) ended unsuccessfully after union representatives rejected the government’s revised financial offer of KSh 11.9 billion.

The development means the strike, which has disrupted learning in public universities for approximately four weeks, is likely to continue as both parties remain divided over the implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

During the negotiations, UASU representatives reportedly insisted that the government must follow established collective bargaining procedures instead of presenting financial proposals that have not been mutually agreed upon.

The union maintained that its members would not accept an offer imposed unilaterally by the government, arguing that the dispute should be resolved through meaningful negotiations based on the agreed terms of the CBA.

UASU officials also reiterated that lecturers would not return to classrooms until the agreed payments had been fully settled and the required amounts deposited directly into their bank accounts.

The breakdown comes despite recent appeals by CS Ogamba urging university lecturers to end their industrial action and resume teaching to prevent further disruption to students’ academic programmes.

The prolonged strike has raised concerns among students, parents and university administrators, with learning activities remaining paralysed across affected public institutions.

The crisis has also attracted political attention, with lawmakers previously calling for urgent intervention to bring the government and the union back to the negotiating table.

Students preparing for examinations and those facing delays in completing their academic programmes remain among the most affected by the dispute.

With the latest negotiations ending without a breakthrough, uncertainty continues to surround the reopening of public universities.

A lasting resolution will depend on whether the government and UASU can bridge their financial differences and agree on a settlement that addresses the lecturers’ demands.

https://x.com/ntvkenya/status/2114710376449548458

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