UoN Students Block Waiyaki Way as Failed Lecturers’ Pay Talks Deepen Campus Crisis

University of Nairobi students brought traffic on Waiyaki Way to a standstill on Tuesday, piling pressure on the government and lecturers’ unions to resolve a strike that has kept students out of class for nearly four weeks.

The protesters lit bonfires and placed stones across sections of the busy highway after leaving the Museum Hill area towards Parklands. Motorists were forced to turn back or find alternative routes as the demonstration disrupted traffic.

Police moved in to disperse the crowds, with tear gas reported during the confrontation. Officers later began clearing the barricades to restore movement along the road.

The protest on 27 October was the latest sign of growing frustration among students who say their education is being disrupted by a dispute over lecturers’ pay and employment terms.

It also followed demonstrations on 21 October, when students blocked sections of Waiyaki Way and demanded government intervention. Student leaders had warned that they would take to the streets if the deadlock continued.

Fresh talks fail to break the deadlock

The demonstrations came a day after negotiations over the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ended without a settlement.

At a meeting on Monday, 26 October, the government presented a verbal offer of about KSh11 billion towards the agreement. The unions rejected it, arguing that it did not adequately address their demands.

The latest offer followed earlier proposals, including one of about KSh12 billion, but the parties remained divided over the funding required to conclude the deal. Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime said the government would submit its counter-offer in writing, with another meeting expected on Wednesday.

The dispute centres on the agreement covering salaries, allowances and other terms of service for public university staff. The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and other unions have called for a firm financial commitment from the government, particularly the National Treasury.

UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga has argued that the agreement cannot be concluded without credible funding arrangements. The unions have also opposed proposals they say could leave university staff salaries dependent on student fees rather than guaranteed public funding.

The nationwide strike began on 2 October after negotiations stalled. It has disrupted teaching and learning across public universities, with students facing uncertainty over missed lectures, examinations and the completion of their academic programmes.

Students caught between unions and government

For students, the dispute is no longer confined to negotiations between employers and staff. The continued shutdown has left them questioning when they will return to class and whether their academic calendars can proceed as planned.

The University of Nairobi demonstrations have also taken the dispute beyond campus grounds, disrupting commuters and other road users who rely on Waiyaki Way.

Student leaders have called for urgent action from the Education Ministry. During an earlier demonstration, some also demanded the resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba over the handling of the impasse. Those demands reflect the anger among some students, although the negotiations remain a matter between the government, university employers and staff unions.

The protests do not resolve the lecturers’ grievances, but they increase pressure on both sides to reach an agreement. The unions say the financial commitments remain inadequate, while the government has indicated that it will put its latest offer in writing.

For now, the immediate question is whether Wednesday’s planned talks can produce a proposal that the unions are willing to consider. Until the dispute is settled, students remain caught in the middle of a prolonged standoff that continues to disrupt public university education.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.