Learning at the University of Nairobi (UoN) was paralyzed on the morning of Wednesday, September 17, 2025, after lecturers downed tools, leaving thousands of students stranded and anxious about the fate of their studies and exams.
The industrial action, which started around 10 a.m., was part of a wider nationwide strike called by lecturers across public universities to push for the implementation of pending collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
At UoN, normal teaching and examinations were suspended as lecturers marched across campus carrying banners, chanting slogans, and blowing vuvuzelas. Students were left milling around empty lecture halls, uncertain about when lessons would resume.
For many learners, the strike has sparked fears of disrupted academic calendars, wasted fees, and delayed graduations. Others expressed frustration over the repeated cycle of strikes that continue to derail learning in public universities.
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Union leaders have accused the government of failing to honor the 2021–2025 and 2025–2029 CBAs, saying arrears amounting to Ksh 2.73 billion remain unpaid. They argue that the funds are critical for improved pay, allowances, and working conditions.
While the lecturers’ grievances centre on salaries and welfare, the bigger concern for students is the uncertainty created by the standoff. Repeated delays have in the past forced institutions to extend semesters, pushing back graduation dates and disrupting career plans.
Talks between the Ministry of Education and union leaders are expected in the coming days in a bid to resolve the impasse. Until then, thousands of students remain in limbo, caught in the middle of a dispute they have little control over.
By Mercy Kokwon
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