The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has confirmed that its nationwide strike will begin today, October 2, 2026, after negotiations with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) failed to reach an agreement.
Addressing the media on October 1, UASU organizing Secretary said that the union rejected a proposed four per cent annual salary increment, saying the offer fell short of its demands.
The union also raised concerns about the prevailing inflation rate, which it said was above six per cent, arguing that the proposed increment did not adequately address the rising cost of living.
“The proposed automatic annual increment of a mere four percent is far below the prevailing inflation rates, which are more than six percent,” he said.
Lecturers Begin Strike After Rejecting 4% Salary Increase
KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya said the government was responsible for the strike, and urged the union members to proceed with the industrial action.
During the talks, the union also pushed for the immediate implementation of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), but no agreement was reached.
UASU linked the dispute to the Return-to-Work Formula signed on November 5, 2025, saying university councils, the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury had failed to honour the commitments made under the agreement.
According to UASU Secretary General Dr Constantine Wasonga, the union had exhausted negotiations and other avenues of engagement and was therefore proceeding with the strike over the delayed implementation of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
He also said UASU had rejected a proposed KSh9.76 billion allocation that the government was expected to present during negotiations in Machakos, arguing that the amount would not be enough to meet the obligations under the four-year agreement.
“The figure of KSh9.76 billion they are proposing in Machakos, the union is going to reject it. A four-year CBA cannot consume KSh9.76 billion. When we negotiated the 2021-2025 CBA, for two years we consumed KSh9.7 billion, so we cannot imagine a CBA for four years can also consume KSh9.7 billion,” he said.
He said the lecturers were also demanding harmonized allowances and improved provisions for car loans and mortgage financing.
The strike will involve lecturers from UASU, Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), which moved to industrial action after talks on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) failed to reach an agreement.
TVET Trainers to Strike After 14 Days
At the same time, the Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers (KUTVET) has suspended its strike for 14 days to allow further negotiations with the Ministry of Education over unresolved grievances.
The union said the industrial action stemmed from the failure of university councils, the Ministry of Education, and the National Treasury to implement the Return-to-Work Formula signed on November 5, 2025.
KUTVET also raised concerns over what it described as a hurried review of the TVET curriculum, the TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC) ‘s mishandling of national examinations, arbitrary transfers and promotions of trainers, and the need for improved medical cover.
The union has given the government until October 19, 2026, to address the outstanding issues. KUTVET said its members would down their tools if the government makes no satisfactory progress by the deadline.
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