Lecturers across Kenyan universities, represented by the Universities' Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), initiated a nationwide strike on September 17, demanding the release of billions in salary arrears.
The unions are specifically calling for a payment of Sh7.9 billion outstanding from the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the release of another Sh2.73 billion for the 2021–2025 CBA's second phase.
This industrial action has brought learning to a near-halt at Egerton and Maseno universities.
The government, however, maintains that it has honored its commitment to the staff unions and has urged them to return to work, stating it's open to dialogue to resolve the matter.
The ongoing dispute has also cast a spotlight on the role of university Students' Representative Councils (SRCs) in advocating for student welfare amidst such budgetary delays, as the strike's impact on the academic calendar grows.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court had issued an order to stop the strike, but the unions proceeded.
