Lecturers’ Strike: Crucial CBA Talks Enter New Phase as Unions Await Deal

Updated October 9, 2026: Public university lecturers and other staff remain on strike as negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement continue. The inter-ministerial committee is assessing the financial implications of the unions’ proposals; a report published Friday said the government had not yet tabled a counteroffer. The unions have not announced a settlement or a return-to-work date.

The dispute has interrupted learning at affected public universities since October 2. Students should check notices from their own university because teaching, examinations and campus services may be affected differently. Its immediate focus is the proposed 2025–2029 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which unions want negotiated, signed, registered and implemented with clear financing arrangements.

What is new in the negotiations?

An official notice published by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Technical University of Mombasa chapter confirms that the government convened a joint inter-ministerial committee to accelerate talks. The invitation, dated October 5, scheduled a meeting for October 6 at the NSSF Building in Nairobi, chaired by Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime.

According to the union’s account, representatives from government ministries, public university leadership and three staff unions — UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) — were to participate. The committee’s stated remit includes reviewing unresolved financial and non-financial proposals and identifying steps towards industrial peace.

That is an important development because the financing of an agreement is not solely a matter for university managers. A credible settlement also requires engagement with government institutions responsible for education policy, public employment and the national budget.

Unions say the strike has not been called off

In a statement dated October 7, UASU’s national strike command instructed members to maintain industrial action and said unions were awaiting further government engagement. The union’s strike information centre continued to describe the nationwide strike as in progress.

The statement is evidence of the unions’ position at the time it was issued. It does not establish what may have happened in later private meetings, and it should not be taken as confirmation that negotiations have failed. Equally, the formation of a committee is not proof that a return-to-work agreement has been signed.

Why the 2025–2029 agreement is contested

The union’s published strike materials identify three broad issues: how salaries for public university employees are funded, the conclusion and implementation of the 2025–2029 national CBA, and concerns about employment matters included in generic human-resource instruments.

Collective bargaining agreements set out negotiated employment terms, which may include pay, allowances, career progression and workplace conditions. For staff, the value of a proposed settlement depends not only on its headline financial figure but also on the timetable and certainty of implementation.

For government and university administrators, an agreement must be supported by a funding plan that can be honoured across multiple financial years. Where the two sides disagree on affordability or responsibility for payment, negotiations can remain stalled even when both say they support a settlement.

Government appeals for return to class

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has urged striking lecturers to resume teaching while discussions continue. In remarks reported by the state-owned Kenya News Agency on October 6, he said the government remained committed to concluding the 2025–2029 CBA and asked staff to comply with court orders relating to the industrial action.

Ogamba also said earlier university CBA arrears had been addressed. That government position should be distinguished from the unions’ separate demands over the terms and financing of the new agreement. Payment of obligations from earlier bargaining periods does not, by itself, resolve the present dispute.

What the strike means for students

The continuing walkout has created uncertainty for students at affected public universities. Scheduled lectures, assessments, research supervision and academic timetables may be disrupted depending on each institution’s circumstances.

Students should check their university’s official website, student portal and departmental notices for confirmed information. They should not assume that a new meeting date automatically means classes, examinations or graduation preparations will resume on a particular day.

Final-year students and those preparing for professional placements may face particular challenges if assessments or supervision are delayed. Institutions will need to communicate any revised academic calendars once the labour dispute is resolved.

What would constitute a breakthrough?

A meaningful resolution would require a clearly communicated agreement on outstanding CBA provisions, the source and timing of financing, and the procedure for returning staff to work. A formal announcement by the negotiating parties would provide stronger evidence of a settlement than speculation surrounding closed-door meetings.

As of this report, the publicly available official union statements confirm continued strike action and government engagement, but do not verify a signed deal. Daily Report KE will update readers when the parties release a confirmed outcome.

Official records and further reading

Primary sources: UASU notice on the inter-ministerial committee; UASU strike command statement of October 7; UASU strike information centre; UASU CBA and strike documents; and the Kenya News Agency report of the Education Cabinet Secretary’s official remarks.

For background, see our earlier report on the government’s appeal to lecturers.

Featured image: Photograph supplied to Daily Report KE showing officials at a meeting. Used as an archive/context image; the date and connection to the October 8 talks have not been independently verified.