UASU Dismisses Government Claims on University Reopening

The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) has strongly rejected claims by the Ministry of Education that learning has resumed in some public universities. The union insists that no teaching is taking place across the country and vowed to continue the nationwide strike until the government pays lecturers their full Ksh.7.9 billion salary arrears in a single installment and fully implements the 2019–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The ongoing lecturers’ and university staff strike has now entered its 43rd day, disrupting academic programs in all public universities. The Ministry of Education recently released a list suggesting that learning is “partially ongoing” in 13 universities, “normal” in 17, and “suspended” in 12 institutions.

Is Learning Really Happening in Universities?

UASU officials have dismissed these reports as false, accusing the government of spreading misleading figures to divide lecturers.
“If Alliance, Mang’u and Starehe have no learning going on, and one day school in the village is teaching, can you say there is learning in Kenya? Ask them, if they say only five universities have no learning, why is the government bothered?” asked Constantine Wesonga, the UASU Secretary General.

Wesonga emphasized that despite the government’s promise to pay the Ksh.7.9 billion owed from the 2017–2021 CBA, lecturers will not return to class because of the proposal to pay in three installments instead of one.
“Instead of paying the full Ksh.7.9 billion CBA amount, they want to pay in three instalments. That means another three strikes. We don’t want to expose our students to more strikes until 2030. We’ll only return once the Ksh.7.9 billion hits our bank accounts in full,” Wesonga said.

What Are Lecturers and Students Demanding?

Beyond salary arrears, UASU is also demanding the full implementation of the 2019–2025 CBA and harmonization of allowances across all public universities. The union has made it clear that lecturers will not resume classes until every agreement is honored.

At the Technical University of Mombasa, students staged protests rejecting the Ministry’s claims that learning had resumed. They urged the government to meet lecturers’ demands, saying the prolonged strike has severely disrupted their studies.

“We are the ones suffering the most,” one student said during the protest.

Despite mounting pressure, both the union and the government have yet to reach an agreement. UASU remains firm in its position, signaling that the strike could extend into next year if their conditions are not met.

With classes halted and negotiations stalled, attention now shifts to the Ministry of Education to see whether it will bow to the lecturers’ demands or risk further disruptions in Kenya’s higher education system.

By Modester Nasimiyu