Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba appealed to university lecturers on World Teachers’ Day, urging them to comply with court directives and return to work, noting that the government has now cleared all outstanding payments under the 2017‑2021 and 2021‑2025 collective bargaining agreements (CBA).

The strike, which began on 2 October 2026, involved members of the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) after negotiations with the Inter‑Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum failed to resolve the implementation of the 2025‑2029 CBA.

Union leaders rejected a Sh9.76 billion settlement and a four‑percent salary increase proposed by the IPUCCF, insisting that terms be set through a negotiated CBA rather than government circulars.

UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga warned that the strike could be prolonged if the government does not alter its stance, recalling past strikes that lasted up to nine months.

Ogamba emphasized that the government is prepared to negotiate future CBAs, including the 2025‑2029 agreement, and stressed that education should not be disrupted while negotiations continue.

He also highlighted the broader investment in education, noting that the sector now receives nearly 30 percent of the national budget and that teacher recruitment and welfare have been priorities over the past four years.

The minister called on university staff unions and individual lecturers to reciprocate the government’s good‑faith actions, obey the court order, and resume teaching to avoid further disruption to students’ learning.