Ogamba pleads with lecturers to call off strike
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has urged university lecturers to call off their strike and resume teaching, citing the government’s goodwill in addressing their grievances.
Ogamba said the government had already demonstrated commitment by settling arrears amounting to Ksh7.7 billion and initiating talks on the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
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“I appeal to the lecturers to call off the strike and allow learning to continue. Let us take a month or two to address the 2025–2029 CBA separately, outside the strike, as we work towards a lasting solution,” he said.
Ogamba revealed that on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, representatives from the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, and the lecturers’ union will meet at Parliament to deliberate on resolving the ongoing dispute.
He urged the lecturers to accept the government’s proposal to settle the arrears in phases, noting that immediate full payment was not feasible.
According to him, the government plans to pay 50 percent of the arrears in November, with the remaining balance scheduled for July 2026.
Ogamba explained that although the government is committed to paying the lecturers, limited resources make it impossible to disburse the entire amount at once.
He further noted that since the arrears constitute a historical debt, they were not included in the 2025–2026 budget.
The CS added that allocating the entire sum at once would negatively affect other government programs.
“The government plans to reallocate some funds through a supplementary budget to settle 50 percent of the arrears this year, while the remaining amount will be factored into the 2026–2027 financial year,” he said.
Ogamba said prolonging the strike is unlawful and a violation of a court order that had already declared it illegal.
He noted that the outstanding issues can be resolved through dialogue and other peaceful means rather than resorting to industrial action.
“The strike continues to punish innocent students who have no part in this matter,” he said.
He added that most of the arrears date back to 2017, long before the current group of students joined the universities.
Ogamba commended university students for remaining calm and patient, assuring them that the government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the dispute.
