University of Nairobi students have staged fresh demonstrations along Waiyaki Way in Nairobi, lighting bonfires and barricading sections of the busy highway with stones as they demand an immediate end to the ongoing lecturers’ strike. The protests on Tuesday, October 27, disrupted traffic and brought movement along parts of the road to a standstill, forcing motorists to turn back or seek alternative routes. Police officers moved in to disperse the protesters, firing tear gas as tensions escalated. The demonstration reflects growing frustration among university students over the prolonged interruption of academic activities, including missed lectures, disrupted examinations and uncertainty about when normal learning will resume.

The latest protest comes less than a week after a similar demonstration on October 21, when University of Nairobi students blocked sections of Waiyaki Way using stones and burning tyres. The repeated demonstrations have increased pressure on the government, the Ministry of Education and university staff unions to find a lasting solution to the industrial dispute affecting public universities across the country. According to reports published on October 27, the students moved onto Waiyaki Way after exiting the Museum Hill area towards Parklands. They lit bonfires and placed stones across sections of the road, disrupting the normal flow of vehicles along one of Nairobi’s important transport routes.

The barricades made it difficult for motorists to proceed through the affected sections. Some drivers were forced to turn back, while others looked for alternative routes to reach their destinations. The disruption affected commuters who rely on the highway for daily travel, including workers, students, businesspeople and public transport passengers.

The lighting of bonfires and placement of stones on the highway illustrated the intensity of the students’ frustration. Their protest was directed at the prolonged lecturers’ strike, which has left university learners waiting for a return to normal academic activities.Police move in to disperse the protesters

As the demonstration intensified, police officers moved in to disperse the students and restore traffic flow. Reports indicate that officers fired tear gas, causing protesters to scatter in different directions as the confrontation escalated.

The police subsequently began removing the barricades to reopen the affected sections of the highway. The intervention came amid growing disruption to motorists and other road users.

The confrontation demonstrates the difficulty of balancing the right to peaceful protest with the need to maintain public order and protect other road users. Students have legitimate interests in receiving an education without prolonged interruptions, but demonstrations that block major highways can expose participants and members of the public to additional risks.Why University of Nairobi students are protesting

The central issue behind the demonstrations is the nationwide lecturers’ strike that began on October 2, 2026. University staff unions have been pushing for progress on the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which covers employment terms, including salaries and allowances.

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and other university staff unions have called for a clear financial commitment from the government towards implementing the agreement. Negotiations have remained contentious, with disagreement over the resources available and the terms required to resolve the dispute. Although the industrial action involves lecturers and the government, students are among those directly affected by its consequences. They depend on lecturers to deliver lessons, supervise academic work, conduct assessments and guide them through their respective programmes.

When teaching stops for an extended period, students can lose valuable instructional time. Those who expected to complete a semester, undertake examinations or graduate according to a planned schedule may find themselves facing uncertainty.

This explains why students have increasingly called for urgent intervention. Their position is that the dispute should not continue at the expense of their academic progress.The lecturers’ strike is linked to disagreements over the implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The agreement concerns the terms and conditions of employment for university academic staff, including remuneration and allowances.

According to reporting on the negotiations, the government presented a counteroffer of KSh11.9 billion for the four-year agreement, but the unions considered the offer inadequate. The dispute has centred on the financial commitments needed to implement the agreement and the extent to which the government’s proposal meets the unions’ demands.

For lecturers, remuneration and employment conditions are important issues affecting their livelihoods and professional expectations. For the government, reaching an agreement also involves determining how the required expenditure will be funded and managed.

The challenge is to find a settlement that addresses the unions’ concerns while establishing a credible funding arrangement.Before the October 21 demonstration, UNSA President Ahmed Rashid issued a 72-hour ultimatum on October 16, demanding action to address the lecturers’ strike. Student leaders argued that the continued disruption was unfair to learners whose academic programmes were being affected.

During the earlier protest, student leaders also called for the resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, accusing the Ministry of Education of failing to resolve the impasse. They urged students at other universities to support efforts to secure a return to normal learning.

The renewed demonstrations on October 27 indicate that the earlier action had not brought the dispute to an end.When a major highway is blocked, the effects can extend to roads beyond the immediate protest location. Motorists may divert to alternative routes, increasing congestion elsewhere and lengthening journey times.

Public transport passengers can also experience delays, particularly those travelling to work, school, hospitals and other essential destinations. Drivers and transport operators may lose income when vehicles remain stuck in traffic or must take longer routes.

Businesses that depend on the timely movement of employees, customers and deliveries can experience additional operational difficulties. People with scheduled appointments may also struggle to arrive on time.What needs to happen next?

The immediate priority is to ensure that roads are safe, traffic can flow normally and any injuries or damage are properly assessed. Police and university authorities should provide verified information about the situation following the demonstrations.

The longer-term priority is resolving the lecturers’ strike.

The government, the Ministry of Education, university management and the relevant staff unions need to pursue negotiations that address the disputed financial commitments and employment terms. Any agreement should be communicated clearly so that lecturers, students and university administrators understand the steps required to resume academic activities.

University management should also provide students with reliable updates about teaching schedules, examinations and possible adjustments to the academic calendar. Clear information would help students plan their studies and reduce uncertainty.