Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has directed the striking lecturers to engage their union representative, the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), to engage the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for the actual amount of money owed to the dons by the government.

Speaking during the launch of the 2025 National Examination and Assessment Season on Friday, October 3, 2025, Migos Ogamba urged the lecturers to suspend the strike and engage in meaningful dialogue. He further referred the lecturers to the SRC for clear data on the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement stalemate that has paralysed learning across public higher learning institutions.

Earlier, he had urged lecturers to return to work, citing payments and a court order.

The CS has said that according to SCR, university staff are owed only Ksh624 million and not the Ksh7.9 billion claimed by UASU. The commission clarifies that the disputed Ksh7.2 billion under the 2017-2021 CBA was already factored into the annual salary increment during the agreement’s implementation period.

”Ksh4.3 billion that was for immediate release for the period of October 2024 up to and including June 2025, this amount has been fully settled. Secondly, Ksh2.73 billion for the financial year 2025/2026, which has also been disbursed between the months of July and September 2025. Number three, Ksh2.73 billion for the financial year 2026/2027, which will be settled in the coming financial year, has been scheduled for July 2026,” Ogamba said.

While appearing before the Senate, Ogamba outlined the reasons behind the lecturers’ strike.

Babu Owino calls for action

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.

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.