Students Issue 24-Hour Ultimatum to Government Over Lecturers’ Strike
Tension is building in public universities as students threaten to hit the streets within 24 hours if the government fails to end the ongoing lecturers’ strike that has paralysed learning for weeks.
The strike, led by lecturers demanding Sh7.9 billion in arrears from the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and fresh talks for the 2025–2029 CBA, has left classrooms empty and thousands of students stuck in hostels and libraries.
With exams just weeks away, students say they won’t sit idly by as their academic progress is derailed.
“One month to our exams and we have not seen our lecturers in class. We are not going to retreat. If the government does not act within 24 hours, we will be on the streets,” said Valentine Nyanchama, a Kenyatta University student.
The lecturers’ strike has brought back memories of last year’s impasse which disrupted academic calendars and pushed semesters into the following year. This time around, students are threatening to escalate the pressure, saying they will not allow a repeat of the disruption.
“Any delayed academic calendar must be compensated. We will not allow our dreams to be put on hold,” said Desmond Mbare, another Kenyatta University student.
Student leaders are also demanding a clear recovery plan from authorities. “We demand a concrete, public plan for recovering lost time, including a revised calendar to prevent this from becoming a lost semester or delaying our graduation,” Victor Omondi said.
The Ministry of Education and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum are yet to reach an agreement with the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the stalemate continues. As students’ patience wears thin, their threat to join lecturers in protest piles more pressure on the government to act fast.
Also Read: Ex-Congo President Joseph Kabila Sentenced to Death Over War Crimes
Students Issue 24-Hour Ultimatum to Government Over Lecturers’ Strike