🚨 Public Universities to Shut Down Friday: Where Is the Ksh. 700 Billion? 🚨

Nairobi, Kenya — The academic calendar for public universities is set to grind to a halt this coming Friday, 2nd October 2026, as lecturers across the country prepare to down their tools indefinitely.

The drastic action comes as the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) escalates its push for the government to sign and fully fund the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) .

At the heart of the impasse is a staggering question echoing across campuses: Where is the Ksh. 700 Billion?

A Broken Promise

The looming shutdown is the culmination of months of frustration. Lecturers are accusing the government of reneging on a Return-To-Work formula signed on 5th November 2025. Despite the agreement, the terms remain unimplemented, leaving the sector in a state of paralysis.

UASU officials state that the current environment has become untenable. The union cites chronic understaffing, excessive workloads, delayed promotions, and the failure to approve funding proposals as the primary drivers of the strike. The result is that universities are being forced to operate on a "bare minimum" capacity, compromising the quality of education and the welfare of staff.

SRC Under Fire

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) is also squarely in the union's crosshairs. UASU has criticized the SRC for failing to release a critical advisory regarding staff promotions, retirement age, and other remuneration packages. This lack of guidance has further complicated the financial planning for public universities, which are still struggling to recover from previous financial crises.

The Final Straw

While the government has remained silent on the source of the Ksh. 700 Billion required to actualize the CBA, lecturers say they have run out of patience. The signing of the 2025-2029 CBA is not just a demand; it is a necessity for the survival of higher education in Kenya.

As the clock ticks down to Friday, students, parents, and stakeholders are left waiting. The message from the lecture halls is clear: No funding, no signing, no lectures.

UASU remains steadfast. The future of public universities hangs in the balance