University of Nairobi students staged chaotic street protests along Waiyaki Way on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, lighting bonfires and demanding an immediate government resolution to the nationwide lecturers’ strike that has paralyzed public university learning for nearly three weeks.
Learners barricaded sections of the busy highway with stones and burnt tyres, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes as traffic ground to a halt. The demonstrations marked an escalation of student frustration as the nationwide labor dispute stretched past its nineteenth day following an ultimatum issued earlier by student leaders.
Students Protest On Waiyaki Way
During the Wednesday demonstrations, UNSA President Ahmed Rashid called for the immediate resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba over the ministry’s failure to settle the dispute. The protests followed a 72-hour ultimatum issued by the University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA), which warned state officials that students would take to the streets if the deadlock persisted.
Comrades power! Chase Ogamba, chase! Ogamba must go. Our lecturers must be paid. I have been in school since 2017. I want to graduate.
Ahmed Rashid, UNSA President, via Tuko News
Police eventually dispersed the crowds along Waiyaki Way, but student representatives vowed to continue pressing for accountability until normal teaching resumes. Protesters carried placards, twigs, and whistles while chanting slogans condemning the government’s failure to address the grievances of university staff.
Lecturers Strike Over CBA Implementation
The root of the crisis traces back to October 2, 2026, when the nationwide lecturers’ strike commenced following disagreements between the state and university staff unions. The unions are pressing for the full implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covering employment terms, salaries, and allowances.
UASU Secretary-General Dr. Constantine Wasonga Opiyo has maintained that the deal must be supported by a clear financial commitment from the government, particularly the National Treasury. Following the collapse of talks held on October 12, UASU notified the Inspector General of the National Police Service in a letter dated October 12, 2026, of plans for a peaceful procession held on Thursday, October 15.
Fuel Prices and Fares Rise
Petrol climbed by KSh 12.93 per litre, diesel by KSh 9.90, and kerosene by KSh 28.49. The academic standoff unfolded against a backdrop of wider economic strain.
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