Ogamba Explains Salary Delays as Pressure Rises on Education Ministry
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has broken his silence amid mounting public concern and parliamentary pressure over the ongoing lecturers’ strike.
Appearing before the National Assembly on Wednesday, October 8, Ogamba attempted to clarify why the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) has faced persistent delays, even as university learning remains paralyzed across the country.
The CS acknowledged that there had been confusion over the figures in contention, but emphasized that the government had already implemented a significant portion of the 2021–2025 CBA.
According to Ogamba, a total of Ksh 9.76 billion had been released in three stages to cater for lecturers’ pay and related benefits.
He broke down the disbursements, noting that Ksh 4.3 billion was released for the period between October 2024 and June 2025, while another Ksh 2.73 billion had been disbursed for the 2025/2026 financial year.
The remaining Ksh 2.73 billion, he said, would be released in the next financial cycle as part of the government’s scheduled commitments.
Ogamba made these remarks while responding to a question from Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, who demanded a detailed explanation on what the Ministry of Education was doing to resolve the deadlock that has disrupted learning in public universities.
The lecturers’ strike, spearheaded by unions such as the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospital Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), has left thousands of university students stranded and uncertain about their academic future.
Ogamba further admitted that disagreements over the 2018–2021 CBA were still unresolved. He revealed that while the unions claimed the government still owed them Ksh 7.9 billion, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had presented a much lower figure of Ksh 624 million after adjustments.
The CS described this difference as a mere “interpretation gap,” assuring that the Ministry remained open to dialogue and that the issue was currently under conciliation as directed by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
Meanwhile, in a separate press briefing held in Nairobi, UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wesonga accused the SRC of overstepping its mandate and frustrating negotiations between lecturers and their employers.
Wesonga, who spoke on behalf of the UASU, KUSU, and KUDHEIHA unions, argued that the SRC had gone beyond its advisory role and was now interfering directly in the collective bargaining process. He said this interference had made it nearly impossible for university staff to negotiate fairly.
“According to labour laws and international conventions, we are supposed to negotiate directly with our employer. The SRC’s role is purely advisory, but their current approach prevents genuine negotiation between workers and the employer,” Wesonga stated.
Members of Parliament, visibly frustrated by the slow pace of resolution, criticized the Ministry of Education for what they described as inconsistent communication and poor management of the impasse.
Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gesario noted that the Ministry had contradicted itself on multiple occasions, despite clear advice from the Office of the Attorney General, which had already recommended payment of balances owed under the 2017–2021 CBA.
“Our young people are at home, lecturers are in the streets, and yet the Ministry keeps sending mixed signals. This issue should have been resolved a long time ago,” Gesario remarked.
However, CS Ogamba stood firm, assuring Parliament that most concerns under the 2021–2025 CBA had already been addressed. He added that negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA would begin soon, once the Ministry receives formal guidelines from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Ogamba concluded by urging all stakeholders — including university managements, unions, and the SRC — to embrace dialogue over confrontation, emphasizing that the government remained committed to ensuring a fair and lasting resolution that restores normal learning across public universities.
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