Staff unions at Alupe University have joined their colleagues in the ongoing nationwide strike, demanding the negotiation and implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), payment of salaries through the Exchequer and involvement in the development of the university’s human resource policies.
The workers, under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), said they would remain on strike until the government addresses their grievances.
Speaking at Alupe University on Monday, KUSU Secretary- Alupe branch Nicholas Kirinya said the government must negotiate, conclude and implement the 2025–2029 CBA, which he said had not been properly addressed.
“We want the 2025–2029 CBA to be negotiated, concluded and implemented. We also want our salaries to be paid through the Exchequer. We were not involved in the development of the generic human resource manual, yet we are demanding to be involved,” Kirinya said.
He accused the government of failing to respond to their concerns, saying previous negotiations had not yielded an agreement.
“The last time we were on the table for discussion, we did not agree and up to date they have not called us for further discussions. We are going to remain on strike until our demands are addressed,” he said.
UASU Alupe University chapter secretary Dr Peter Odhiambo said the government had made proposals that university workers could not accept, particularly on the financing of salaries.
“The 2025–2029 CBA was supposed to be concluded in 2024 and implemented from July 2025. That means we are 13 months in arrears. We do not want to go to the streets to demand our arrears. The government must commit to implementing the agreement,” Odhiambo said.
He opposed a proposal to have university staff salaries paid from fees collected from students, saying the arrangement would disadvantage institutions with low enrolment.
“We are against the government proposal for university workers to be paid from money raised by students. What happens to young institutions with fewer learners? We demand to be paid through the Exchequer,” he said.
KUSU Alupe chapter Treasurer Martha Ilugari warned that the continued strike could disrupt learning if the dispute is not resolved.
“We are going to ask parents to come and take their children if the government continues to fail to implement the CBA. The commuter allowance provided for university workers under the CBA is small and cannot sustain us given the current economic situation in the country,” she said.
KUSU Alupe chapter chairman Selestine Ramisi acknowledged the impact of the strike on students and their parents but maintained that the workers would not return to work until their grievances were addressed.
“We are insisting that the government addresses our concerns so that students can continue learning. Many parents are struggling to sustain their children on campus, so this situation is unfair to them,” Ramisi said.
He also opposed the proposed funding model, saying relying on student fees to pay university staff could result in salary delays, particularly in institutions with limited enrolment.
“Many learners depend on well-wishers, NG-CDF and other donors. Paying university staff using money from students will lead to delays in salaries, and that is what we are totally against,” he said.
by Salome Alwanda / Rodgers Omondi
