The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) announced a nationwide strike effective midnight on Thursday, 1 October 2026, after negotiations at Machakos University broke down.

The unions rejected a counter‑offer from the Inter‑Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) that proposed an automatic 4% annual salary increment, arguing it fell short of the over 6% inflation rate.

UASU national organising secretary Jacob Musembi said the offer would not protect members from the rising cost of living and noted that talks had been going in circles since they resumed.

IPUCCF’s proposal included a cumulative 8.25% increase in basic salary over the four‑year 2025‑2029 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), to be applied at 2% per year, after weighing alternatives such as a 3% annual rise that would total 12.56%.

The unions’ original demands were far higher: UASU sought a 36%‑68% increase, KUSU a 36%‑113% increase, and KUDHEIHA a 75%‑193% increase in basic salary over the same period.

In addition to salary, the unions rejected IPUCCF’s proposed medical benefits, deeming them inferior to civil‑servant packages, and criticised universities for not recruiting enough academic staff despite rising student enrolments.

The unions had issued a seven‑day strike notice the previous week, citing a breach of a November 2025 commitment by employers to start CBA negotiations within 30 days of a return‑to‑work formula.

Members were urged to maintain solidarity, with the unions calling for a withdrawal of labour until all demands are met in full, describing the action as the "mother of all strikes."