Babu Owino Issues Statement Over Ongoing Lecturer's Stirke

The lecturers’ strike that has stretched into its third week has left thousands of university students across Kenya stranded, with uncertainty hanging over their academic future. 

Lecture halls remain empty, research projects have stalled, and graduations risk being pushed further back as the standoff between lecturers and the government continues.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, himself a former student leader, has been among the loudest voices pressing the government to resolve the crisis. 

In a statement on Facebook, he accused President William Ruto’s administration of neglecting education while diverting resources to politics.

“Billions are wasted on patronage while over 500,000 students face disrupted learning, delayed graduations, and stalled research,” Owino wrote, warning that the strike could accelerate brain drain as frustrated scholars leave for better opportunities abroad.

Despite the government releasing Sh2.5 billion to partially address the lecturers’ grievances, it still owes Sh7.9 billion from the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement and Sh2.73 billion from the 2021–2025 phase two deal. 

Lecturers insist that only full settlement and a predictable financing system will restore normalcy in universities.

For students, however, the stalemate is already taking a heavy toll. Many fear losing an entire semester, which could extend their stay in school and burden families financially. 

Parents, too, are anxious about wasted tuition fees and the ripple effects of delayed graduations on job prospects.

Owino has urged the government to urgently honor all agreements and treat education as a national priority rather than an afterthought. 

“Education is not a political token. It is the backbone of Kenya’s future,” he stressed.

For now, the impasse shows no signs of ending, leaving students, parents, and lecturers stuck in limbo.