UASU Kenya: Lecturers Issue Strike Notice For 2025-2029 CBA

• The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has issued a seven-day strike notice for public university lecturers, effective midnight on October 2.
• The strike is prompted by the government's failure to honor a Return-to-Work Formula from November 2025 and to provide a financial counter-proposal for the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
• The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) confirmed that the Ministry of Education and National Treasury have not committed to funding public university CBAs from the National Exchequer.
• UASU rejects the notion of funding lecturers' remuneration from student fees, asserting that academic staff are public officers whose pay should come from the National Exchequer.
• The union demands the full implementation of the 2025-2029 CBA, explicit safeguarding of lecturers' public officer status and remuneration, and participation in HR instrument development.

A dignified and fairly remunerated academic staff is absolutely critical for maintaining the quality of public university education, safeguarding the future of students, and fostering the socioeconomic development of Kenya.

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has announced a seven-day ultimatum for a nationwide strike, with industrial action by lecturers slated to commence at midnight on October 2. This significant development stems from what the union describes as a persistent failure by various government entities, including university councils, the Ministry of Education, and the National Treasury, to honor a critical Return-to-Work Formula signed on November 5, 2025. Furthermore, UASU highlights the government's inability to present a financial counter-proposal for the upcoming 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), a core component of the UASU Kenya lecturers strike notice CBA.

This impending UASU industrial action Kenya underscores a growing disparity within the public education sector. The union noted that while other public education employees successfully concluded their 2025-2029 CBAs last year, public university lecturers have been left without a resolution. This perceived neglect has fueled the union's decision to escalate its demands, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the stalled negotiations and securing appropriate remuneration for its members.

At the heart of the dispute lies a critical funding impasse, recently illuminated by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). On September 21, the SRC disclosed that neither the Ministry of Education nor the National Treasury had provided a written assurance that funding for public universities' CBAs would be sourced from the National Exchequer. This lack of commitment prevented the SRC from issuing the constitutional advice necessary to facilitate financial counter-proposals to the unions, effectively stalling the entire negotiation process for the 2025-2029 CBA funding Kenya.

UASU views this disclosure as confirmation that negotiations held at Machakos University since last year have been unproductive. The union vehemently rejects any government position suggesting that funding for public university lecturers could be derived from student fees or market-based funding models. UASU asserts that academic staff in public universities are unequivocally public officers, whose remuneration should be secured directly from the National Exchequer. This stance is anchored in the constitutional definition of public office and the requirement that such remuneration and benefits be payable from the Consolidated Fund or monies provided by Parliament, directly impacting the SRC public universities CBA process.

Beyond the immediate remuneration dispute, UASU has voiced significant concerns regarding broader policy shifts affecting public universities. The union criticized the reliance on social media statements concerning a proposed new university funding model, arguing that unions cannot be expected to depend on such informal declarations or to interpret implied meanings within the proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, which has not yet been enacted by Parliament. This situation prompts UASU to question the fundamental nature of higher education, asking whether Kenya still maintains public universities or if they are transitioning into market-based institutions.

In light of these grievances, UASU has outlined several key demands. The union insists on the negotiation, signing, registration, and implementation of the 2025-2029 CBA, coupled with a firm commitment from the Ministry of Education and National Treasury that it will be funded through the National Exchequer. Furthermore, UASU demands that the government cease any attempts to undermine the public officer status of public university lecturers and that proposed tertiary education funding legislation explicitly safeguard their remuneration from the Exchequer. Finally, the union seeks active participation in the development of human-resource instruments for public universities currently being formulated by the Public Service Commission.

The impending nationwide strike and the underlying Kenya university lecturers CBA dispute carry profound implications for the nation's higher education sector and public policy. UASU emphasizes that a dignified and fairly remunerated academic staff is absolutely critical for maintaining the quality of public university education, safeguarding the future of students, and fostering the socioeconomic development of Kenya. The union's firm stance highlights a fundamental conflict over the funding and governance of public universities, challenging the government's approach to public sector remuneration and the role of constitutional bodies like the SRC.

This escalating labor dispute signals significant challenges in public sector labor relations and funding mechanisms. Lawyers advising public universities or government bodies in Kenya should closely monitor this situation for potential legal challenges related to CBA implementation, public officer remuneration, and the constitutional mandate of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. The outcome of this industrial action will undoubtedly shape the future landscape of higher education funding and public service employment in Kenya.

Lawyers advising public universities or government bodies in Kenya should monitor this impending nationwide lecturers' strike for potential legal challenges related to CBA implementation, public officer remuneration, and the constitutional role of the SRC. It signals significant labor relations and funding disputes that could impact educational institutions and public sector policy.

Source: Original reporting via Capital FM