CS Ogamba Opens Talks as Lecturers’ Strike Paralyzes Public Universities

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CS Ogamba Opens Talks as Lecturers’ Strike Paralyzes Public Universities

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has announced fresh talks with lecturers’ unions to end the nationwide strike that has paralysed learning in public universities.

The strike is over the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Lecturers through Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) are demanding Ksh11.53 billion in arrears, Ksh2.73 billion in unpaid dues and Ksh8.8 billion in back pay. They are also pushing for the registration and implementation of the 2025–29 CBA.

Speaking in Mombasa on Friday, September 26, 2025, Ogamba told senators that the Ministry of Education is working on a permanent solution to get lecturers back to class. He was addressing the Senate Standing Committee on Education during a two-day retreat on funding, equity, transition and ongoing reforms in the education sector.

“2017–2021 is about payments that should have been done earlier. SRC has confirmed that annual salary increments for those years were already paid. What remains is balances,” Ogamba said, adding not all universities are affected by the strike. “We will sort this out as soon as possible.”

From hardline to soft

The CS’s softer tone comes just days after he had taken a tough stance against the strike, telling lecturers to obey court orders suspending the boycott. On September 18, the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the unions to stop the strike.

But lecturers are not backing down. They say the government’s release of Ksh2.5 billion under the second phase of the 2024–25 CBA does not address the outstanding arrears.

Ogamba however said dialogue is the way to go. “We have invested so much in this sector. All grievances can be addressed without disrupting learning and inconveniencing students,” he said.

During his Mombasa address, Ogamba described the Senate Standing Committee on Education as a key partner in providing oversight and guidance to higher education reforms.

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CS Ogamba Opens Talks as Lecturers’ Strike Paralyzes Public Universities