Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has urged the government to act swiftly and resolve the lecturers’ strike that has now entered its third week, warning that the crisis is jeopardising the future of thousands of students.
The strike has paralysed learning in public universities, disrupted research, and left students stranded across the country.
At the centre of the dispute is chronic underfunding and the government’s failure to fully honour collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
According to lecturers, the state still owes Sh7.9 billion from the 2017–2021 CBA and Sh2.73 billion from phase two of the 2021–2025 agreement.
Although the government recently released Sh2.5 billion, union leaders and stakeholders say the damage has already been done.
Students now face the risk of losing an entire semester, with graduations delayed and critical research stalled.
“This is not just about money; it is about misplaced priorities,” Owino said, accusing the government of diverting billions to corruption and political patronage while neglecting education.
The lawmaker warned that over 500,000 students’ futures are at stake if the strike continues, adding that the crisis is deepening mistrust in government and fueling brain drain among academics.
“The problems run really deep. Billions are wasted on politics over education, while over 500,000 students’ futures are jeopardised. This is further eroding trust while fueling brain drain. We cannot afford this,” Owino said.
He called for urgent action, demanding that the state immediately honour outstanding CBAs, ring-fence education funding, and move from ad hoc to predictable financing.
“Education is not a political token. It is a right and Kenya’s backbone,” Owino stressed.
“Systemic funding is not optional; it is urgent. Let us build a great future for all Kenyans.”
Unless a breakthrough is reached soon, universities risk sinking deeper into crisis, with the consequences falling squarely on students and the country’s education sector.
Earlier on Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government is still in the dark about the exact amount of money, university lecturers are demanding in their ongoing strike.
Ogamba said the lecturers’ unions have raised several issues, but the most contentious is the implementation of the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“There is a question of how much is outstanding between what the unions are asking for and what the government says is owed. Because of that, the matter went to court. The court ordered that the strike be halted and directed both sides to a conciliator to verify the amount before a settlement can be agreed on,” he told the Senate.
The CS noted that the court order temporarily stopped the strike and required verification of the disputed figures.
He added that the conciliation outcome will be presented in court on October 6.
“The real issue is the 2017–2021 CBA. Once we verify how much is due, we can move to the next stage of settling it,” he said.