Kenyan university students are staring at a bleak future as the stalemate between the government and lecturers deepens. The dons have openly defied Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba’s order to resume work immediately, vowing not to return until billions in unpaid arrears are cleared.
The lecturers’ strike has now entered its second week, threatening to derail the academic calendar. With each passing day, frustration grows among students and parents, while union leaders accuse the government of dishonesty and disrespect.
Lecturers’ Strike Intensifies After Ogamba Directive
Union leaders have dismissed CS Julius Ogamba’s directive as both uninformed and insulting. Speaking on Citizen TV, Maloba Wekesa of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya accused the government of failing to honour long-standing agreements.
Dr Wekesa said lecturers are law-abiding but will not allow themselves to be “gamed” by government orders. He insisted that Ogamba, who has only been in office for a year, should first understand the issues instead of issuing threats.
“This problem has been around longer than Ogamba has been in office. He should take time to learn instead of ordering us around,” Wekesa stated.
The lecturers argue that the government only released Ksh2.5 billion, which they consider a token gesture. They maintain that Ksh7.9 billion from the 2017 and 2021 collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) remains unpaid, leaving most of their demands unresolved.
Wekesa added that lecturers are not mere employees to be commanded. “We have lecture halls, not classes. If the CS thinks we need to go back to classes, he should go there himself. Ordering us back is an insult,” he said.
Government Threatens Lecturers With Disciplinary Action
On Tuesday, Ogamba directed all lecturers to resume work or face severe consequences. He warned that failure to comply would amount to contempt of court, following a ruling by the Employment and Labour Relations Court suspending the strike.
“Court orders are supposed to be obeyed. Otherwise, you will be in contempt, which might necessitate disciplinary action. We are asking lecturers to go back to work,” Ogamba said at a stakeholder forum in Mombasa.
The directive came after Justice Jacob Gakeri certified the matter as urgent and ordered both sides to negotiate in good faith. The court suspended the strike on September 18 following a petition by the Inter-Public Universities’ Councils Forum.
Despite this, lecturers remain defiant. They argue that no genuine negotiations have taken place and accuse the government of dragging its feet on commitments dating back nearly a decade.
Students Bear the Brunt of Lecturers Strike
The ongoing lecturers strike has left thousands of students stranded, unsure about the fate of their studies. With the strike now in its second week, the risk of an extended academic year looms large.
University managements have urged the government and unions to resolve the standoff quickly, warning that prolonged disruption could derail exams, graduations, and future admissions. Parents, too, have expressed frustration, accusing both sides of neglecting students’ welfare.
Dr Mukhwaya, speaking for KUSU, said the government’s consistent failure to honour negotiated CBAs has demoralised university staff for over seven years. “This crisis was inevitable. You cannot keep promising and failing to pay. Lecturers are frustrated and tired of empty words,” he said.
For now, students remain the biggest casualties of the hardline positions on both sides. Unless the government clears the arrears and engages in genuine talks, the academic future of many young Kenyans could collapse under the weight of broken promises.
