The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has issued a seven-day strike notice, with lecturers set to begin a nationwide strike at midnight on Friday, October 2. According to UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga, the decision follows the failure by university councils, the Ministry of Education, and the National Treasury to honour the Return-to-Work Formula signed on November 5, 2025.
The union also accused the government of failing to provide a financial counter-proposal for the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). UASU stated that while other employees in the public education sector concluded their 2025-2029 CBAs last year, lecturers in public universities have been abandoned. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) informed university-sector unions on Monday, September 21, that neither the Ministry of Education nor the National Treasury had provided a written commitment that funding for public university CBAs would come through the National Exchequer.
UASU expressed concerns about the funding of lecturers' salaries, claiming the government's position appeared to be that public university lecturers could be funded from student fees and market-based sources. The union argued that academic staff in public universities are public officers whose remuneration should be secured from the National Exchequer. UASU resisted any attempt to strip lecturers of their public officer status through back-door mechanisms.
The union demanded the conclusion and implementation of the 2025-2029 CBA, as well as a government commitment to fund the agreement through the National Exchequer. UASU also wants the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, currently before Parliament, to safeguard the remuneration of academic staff through funding from the Exchequer.
UASU further demands participation in the development of human resource instruments for public universities, which are currently being developed by the Public Service Commission, to ensure the rights of academic staff are protected. The union's demands highlight the ongoing challenges facing lecturers in public universities, including delayed payments and lack of clarity on funding.
The SRC's disclosure that the Government's position appears to be that funding for public university lecturers may be drawn from student fees and market-based funding has raised concerns about the future of lecturers' salaries. UASU emphasized that the Constitution defines a public office as one whose remuneration and benefits are payable directly from the Consolidated Fund or from money provided by Parliament.
The strike notice issued by UASU has significant implications for the education sector, with lecturers set to begin a nationwide strike on October 2 if their demands are not met. The union's actions highlight the need for the government to address the funding challenges facing public universities and ensure that lecturers' salaries are secured from the National Exchequer.
Key points
- UASU issues seven-day strike notice, lecturers set to begin nationwide strike on October 2.
- The union demands the conclusion and implementation of the 2025-2029 CBA, as well as a government commitment to fund the agreement through the National Exchequer.
- UASU resists any attempt to strip lecturers of their public officer status through back-door mechanisms.
