Members of the Universities' Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) begin their nationwide strike on October 2, 2026. Photo/Courtesy

The students blocked part of the road and burnt tyres, disrupting traffic before police moved in to disperse them.

The protesters said the strike had paralysed learning and delayed planned graduations, disrupting students’ academic progress. They vowed to continue demonstrating until the government engages university lecturers in talks to resolve the dispute.

“It is now a month since this lecturers’ strike started. The Ministry of Education is silent. They have failed us. We are the biggest losers in this fight,” one of the students, said.

Another student, Tony Ochieng, accused the government of failing to demonstrate commitment to resolving the stalemate, saying students were bearing the brunt of the prolonged strike.

“It’s the fourth week and the government is not showing any commitment. Our students are dying by suicide. Our students are being arrested by police left, right and centre. The government is playing politics with university education, leaving students frustrated,” Ochieng said.

Babu Junior said the strike was likely to extend students’ time in university, affecting their plans and future prospects.

“The lecturers’ strike is affecting the lecturers, but I am sure it is affecting us more than the lecturers. Because as a student who should be taking seven years in school, the strike is going to force me to take more than nine years,” he noted.

The nationwide lecturers’ strike began on October 2, 2026, after negotiations between the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU), the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) collapsed.

The unions are protesting unilateral decisions on salaries, terms of service and working conditions.

They insist that employment terms should be negotiated through a collective bargaining agreement rather than imposed through government circulars.

The unions have also rejected a proposed Ksh.9.76 billion settlement, arguing that the amount was not negotiated with them.

Staff shortages and heavy workloads are among the other concerns raised by lecturers. UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga has warned that the strike could continue for an extended period if the government does not change its position.