University staff in public universities have issued a seven-day strike notice over stalled negotiations for their 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) says the government and university employers have failed to resolve the dispute, leaving the union with no option but to call a strike.
Union officials made the announcement in Kisumu, where delegates from public universities had gathered at Tom Mboya Labour College to discuss the stalled negotiations and mobilise members.
KUSU Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya said staff were under increasing financial pressure because of inflation, the rising cost of living and higher fuel prices.
“The economic environment that our members find themselves in requires that they get cushioned against inflation, the high cost of living, and high fuel prices,” he said.
The union questioned why public university staff had not received the same attention as other public-sector workers.
Mukhwaya said other public servants had their 2025-2029 CBAs negotiated, concluded, registered and implemented from 1 July 2025.
“Why not the universities? Are we children of a lesser God?” he said.
KUSU accused public university employers, the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury of failing to take decisive action to conclude the negotiations and provide funding for the agreement.
The government has not, in the union’s statements, been quoted responding to the latest strike notice.
KUSU said the strike would affect teaching and other operations at public universities if the dispute was not resolved within seven days.
The union says the strike will begin at 00:01 on 2 October. Mukhwaya urged the government to use the notice period to resolve the dispute and prevent industrial action.
“If the government of the day was smart enough, they should be able to get hold of this matter within the seven days that we have given them and arrest the situation,” he said.
He warned that the union would proceed with the strike if no agreement was reached.
The dispute centres on the 2025-2029 CBA, which sets out terms and conditions of employment for university staff.
KUSU said its delegates from public universities across Kenya would continue mobilising members ahead of the planned strike.
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