Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has called out the government for the delay in resolving the prolonged lecturers’ strike over failure to implement the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the two parties.

Taking to his official X account on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Babu Owino faulted the state for ignoring the demands presented by the striking dons that have been out of lecture halls for three weeks, paralysing learning in public higher learning institutions.

”This week, Kenya’s lecturers’ strike enters its third week, one of the worst crises in years. It has paralysed learning, disrupted research, and left thousands of students stranded. At the heart of this dispute is chronic underfunding of universities and the government’s persistent failure to honour CBAs,” Babu Owino said.

”The government owes Kshs7.9 billion from the 2017-2021 CBA and Kshs2.73 billion from phase II of 2021-2025. Despite releasing Kshs2.5 billion, the damage is done! Students risk losing a semester, research is stalled, graduations are delayed, and dreams are postponed. This is not just about money—it is about misplaced priorities, billions for corruption and patronage while our children suffer,” he added.

Babu Owino further blamed the government for diverting funds meant for basic service delivery to political activities.

”The problems run really deep. Billions are wasted on politics over education, while over 500,000 students’ futures are jeopardised. This is further eroding trust while fuelling brain drain. We cannot afford this. The government needs to immediately honour outstanding CBAs, ring-fence education funding transparently and move from ad hoc to predictable financing. Education is not a political token. It is a right and Kenya’s backbone. Systemic funding is not optional; it is URGENT!. Let’s build a great future for all Kenyans,” Babu Owino said.

Meanwhile, Babu Owino’s remarks come days after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced that the government is in talks with lecturers’ unions to end the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement stalemate.

Speaking on Friday, September 26, 2025, while leading the Ministry of Education team in a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Education in Mombasa County, Ogamba assured the legislators that discussions are underway to find a long-lasting solution to get the lecturers back in lecture halls as soon as possible.

”The 2017-2021 issue is an old issue relating to the amount that should have been paid then, and SRC has said they already paid the annual salary increment for those years. It should be an issue of balance. It is not all the universities that are on strike; some are operating. We are trying to ensure that the issue is resolved as soon as possible,” Ogamba said.