KISUMU, Kenya, Sep 25 — The Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) has issued a seven-day strike notice, joining the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) in threatening nationwide industrial action over stalled negotiations for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

📻 Breaking It Down

KUSU announced the notice on Friday during a meeting at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, a day after UASU issued a similar seven-day notice for lecturers.

UASU said strike would begin at midnight on October 2, citing the failure by university councils, the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury to honour the Return-to-Work Formula signed on November 5, 2025.

UASU also said the government had failed to provide a financial counter-proposal for the 2025–2029 CBA.

📌 What You Need to Know

KUSU, which represents non-teaching university staff, said its decision was driven by delays in concluding and registering its own CBA.

The union blamed public university employers and government agencies for the delay and called on the Ministry of Education and National Treasury to intervene.

KUSU Secretary-General Dr Charles Mukhwaya said university workers were under increasing financial pressure due to inflation, rising prices and high fuel costs.

“The economic environment that our members find themselves in requires that they get cushioned against inflation, the high cost of living, and high fuel prices,” Mukhwaya said.

He questioned why university workers had not received a 2025–2029 agreement while other public sector employees had already negotiated, concluded, registered and implemented their CBAs.

“Our colleagues in the larger public service already had their 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated, concluded, registered, and implemented as early as 1st July 2025. Why not the universities?” he said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya