In Summary:

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has issued a seven-day nationwide strike notice, citing the Government's failure to honour the November 2025 Return-to-Work Formula and provide a financial commitment for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The strike is set to begin at midnight on 2 October 2026.

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has issued a seven-day notice of a nationwide strike, accusing university councils, the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury of failing to honour the Return-to-Work Formula signed in November 2025.

While addressing the media earlier on today, UASU said the strike will commence at midnight on Friday, October 2, 2026, following what it described as persistent delays in concluding and implementing the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for academic staff in public universities.

The union said the Government has yet to provide a financial counter-proposal for the new CBA, despite negotiations having been ongoing at Machakos University since last year. According to UASU, lecturers in public universities have been left behind while other employees in the public education sector concluded their 2025–2029 CBAs in 2025.

UASU further cited disclosures made by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) during a meeting with university-sector unions on Monday, September 21. The union said SRC informed them that neither the Ministry of Education nor the National Treasury had issued a written commitment confirming that funding for public universities' CBAs would be provided through the National Exchequer.

According to the union, SRC indicated that it could not issue the constitutional advice required to facilitate financial counter-proposals to the unions without the necessary funding commitment.

UASU argued that the disclosure raises questions about the progress and basis of the negotiations conducted at Machakos University. The union maintained that the Government should have secured the conventional funding commitment from the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury before proceeding with the negotiations.

A central issue in the strike notice is the union's objection to what it describes as a potential shift towards financing public university academic staff through student fees and market-based funding.

UASU said the Government's position, as communicated through the union's account of the SRC discussions, appears to suggest that funding for public university lecturers could be drawn from student fees and market-based financing.

The union rejected this approach, arguing that academic staff in public universities are public officers and that their remuneration must be secured through the National Exchequer in accordance with the Constitution.

UASU also criticised the absence of a published public policy document explaining the Government's position on university education financing and lecturers' remuneration. It questioned whether major changes to the funding of public universities could be implemented through informal declarations or policy proposals that have not been enacted into law.

The union referred to social media statements attributed to Dr David Ndii concerning market-based funding under a new university funding model. UASU said unions should not be expected to rely on social media statements or interpret provisions of the proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, which it noted had not yet been enacted by Parliament.

The union raised concerns about the implications of market-based funding for public universities, including the possibility of insufficient investment returns and challenges arising when students are unable to pay fees.

UASU demanded meaningful participation in the development of human resource instruments for public universities that are being developed by the Public Service Commission, arguing that academic staff rights must be protected.

UASU said the Government should not abandon public university lecturers, linking the welfare and remuneration of academic staff to the quality of university education, students' future and Kenya's socioeconomic development.

The seven-day notice places renewed pressure on the Government, university councils and other stakeholders to address the outstanding CBA and funding issues before the announced strike commencement date.

The union concluded its statement by calling for solidarity among its members as it maintains its demands for a negotiated and funded collective bargaining agreement.