By David Ochieng
A major crisis is unfolding in Kenya’s higher education sector as the nationwide lecturers’ strike enters its seventh week, disrupting academic calendars and threatening to shut down several public universities.
The strike, now in its 47th day, was called by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) over KSh 7.9 billion in unpaid salary arrears under the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to reports from The Standard, the Ministry of Education has directed university councils to independently decide whether to continue classes, partially operate, or close down completely, depending on their unique situations.
“Each university council has the authority to determine what is best for their institution, given the prolonged disruption,” said a senior official from the ministry.
Already, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has announced an indefinite closure, ordering students to vacate the university premises by Sunday, November 2, at 4:00 pm.
Out of the 42 public universities and constituent colleges, 16 have resumed classes, 14 are partially operating, while 12 remain completely inactive due to the ongoing industrial action.
The Ministry has proposed to settle KSh 3.8 billion of the arrears through a supplementary budget this year and pay the balance in the 2026/2027 financial year. However, UASU and KUSU have rejected the phased payment plan, insisting that the government must honor the full CBA immediately.
“No phased pay! A decade-long arrears cannot be paid in bits,” said UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga in a strong statement.
Education experts warn that if the strike continues, semester timelines, examinations, and graduations could be pushed deep into 2026, affecting thousands of students.
Meanwhile, a fake memo circulating on social media claiming that the strike would last until 2026 has been dismissed as false by fact-checkers, urging students and parents to rely only on official communication from their universities.
As tensions rise, all eyes are now on the university councils and the Ministry of Education to resolve the impasse before the academic year collapses entirely.
