‘This is my ninth year’ - Kenya students block highway over lecturers' strike
Key Takeaways
- University of Nairobi students barricade Waiyaki Way with burning tyres and stones.
- Protesters call for Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba to step down over the unresolved strike.
- UASU demands better salary arrangements, working conditions and implementation of the 2025–2029 collective bargaining agreement.
University of Nairobi students burn tyres and block a major highway as a nationwide lecturers' strike disrupts classes, examinations and graduation plans.
"This is my ninth year in the university. I am an old man. I want to go out and marry, but I'm still in university because of this lecturer strike," a frustrated student said as protests erupted in Nairobi on Wednesday.
Students from the University of Nairobi took to the streets, demanding an immediate resolution to a nationwide lecturers' strike that has disrupted academic activities for nearly three weeks.
The demonstrators blocked sections of Waiyaki Way, one of Kenya's busiest highways, using burning tyres and stones to barricade the road and disrupt traffic.
Their protest followed a 72-hour ultimatum issued by the University of Nairobi Students Association, which had threatened demonstrations if the dispute remained unresolved.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
New Asia Forum: Indonesia to set out progress on sustainable AI data centres
Students accused the Ministry of Education of failing to address the concerns of lecturers, whose industrial action has left teaching suspended across public universities.
"The ministry has failed us, so far so good. They did nothing," one protester said. "Our lecturers must be paid. They are our parents and they heavily depend on their salary to pay their bills."
The protesters also demanded the resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, accusing him of failing to resolve the prolonged dispute.
"If you have failed us, if you have failed the ministry, if you failed to end this lecturer strike, kindly vacate the office so that those position can be given to deserving Kenyans," the protester said.
The industrial action began on October 2 after negotiations between university staff unions and public university representatives failed to produce an agreement.
At the centre of the dispute are lecturers' salaries, working conditions and the proposed 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) is demanding the negotiation, signing and implementation of the agreement.
It is also seeking a firm government commitment to finance lecturers' salaries through the National Treasury.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
‘Brazil has no president’ - Flavio Bolsonaro challenges Lula at Sao Paulo rally
According to the union, further discussions with government representatives on October 12 ended without an agreement.
With teaching activities still suspended, students face continued uncertainty over their academic schedules, examinations and graduation dates.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
