Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has responded to growing public and parliamentary pressure over the ongoing lecturers’ strike as he attempted to explain why there were delays in honouring the stalled Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
Speaking before the National Assembly on Wednesday, October 8, Ogamba admitted there was a challenge in clarifying the figures in dispute as he stated that the government had already implemented the 2021-2025 CBA in substantial part.
According to Ogamba, a total financial requirement of Ksh9.76 billion had been disbursed in three tranches.
“Ksh 4.3 billion was released for the period October 2024 to June 2025, and another Ksh. 2.73 billion has been disbursed for the 2025/2026 Financial Year. The remaining Ksh. 2.73 billion will be paid in the next financial year as scheduled,” Ogamba said.
The CS was responding to Gilgil Member of Parliament Martha Wangari, who sought a formal explanation from the Education Ministry regarding the steps being taken to end the stalemate with lecturers.
The strike, led by Unions including UASU, KUSU, and KUDHEIHA, has left the fate of thousands of university students in limbo.
Ogamba admitted that the 2018 - 2021 CBA remained contested, since the unions alleged an outstanding balance of Ksh 7.9 billion. This figure was contrary to the one released by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), which maintains that only Ksh624 million was owed after adjustments.
The CS described the discrepancy as a difference in intepretation which the Ministry was willing to resolve through dialogue. Ogamba also noted that the matter was under conciliation as directed by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
During a press briefing in Nairobi on Wednesday, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General, Constantine Wesonga, accused the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) of derailing the talks and frustrating efforts to reach an agreement.
Wesonga, who spoke on behalf of the UASU, KUDHEIHA, and KUSU unions, claimed that the SRC had overstepped its advisory role and was interfering directly in collective bargaining, stating that the commission’s actions had made it impossible for university lecturers to negotiate effectively with their employer.
''As per labour conventions, we are supposed to negotiate with our employer. However, SRC is supposed to give its advisory, but the way they are giving that advisory, it seems they do not allow workers to negotiate with their employer,'' Wesonga stated.
With pressure mounting on Ogamba, MPs faulted the Education Ministry for what they termed as inconsistent handling of the impasse.
“This is not the first time the Ministry has contradicted itself. The Office of the Attorney General has already advised that balances owed under the 2017–2021 CBA be paid. Our young people are at home, and lecturers are on the streets,” Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gesario said.
But Ogamba reiterated that most of the concerns raised under the 2021-2025 CBA had been addressed, as he promised that talks on the 2025 - 2029 agreement would begin once the Ministry receives guidelines from the SRC.
