University Lecturers Call Off Strike As Govt Commits To Ksh9.7B Deal

As part of the agreement, all legal cases arising from the recent lecturers' strike will be withdrawn. To address the disruption caused by the strike, UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wesonga assured stakeholders of measures to recover lost academic time.

This resolution marks the end of a prolonged standoff between lecturers and university administrations, providing relief to students and parents affected by the disruption. The strike had paralyzed learning across all 35 public universities and constituent colleges for nearly a month.

A few days ago, the National Assembly Committee on Education held a meeting with UASU representatives, the Inter-Public Universities Council Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), and the Inter-Ministerial Committee. The lecturers' union had refused to return to work until the government affirmed its plan to pay the lecturers the remaining Ksh5.46 billion.

During the Thursday noon meeting, Wasonga confirmed the union's willingness to accept the initial amount provided the government commits to a clear payment timeline for the remaining Ksh5.46 billion over the next two financial years.

"UASU agrees to take Ksh4.3 billion immediately but the government must agree to pay the balance. In 2025/26 we will be paid half of Ksh5.4 billion and in 2026/27 the remaining half. We must agree on how to negotiate other items on the Return to Work Formula," he stated.

In the meeting, Tinderet MP Julius Melly stressed the urgency of restoring normalcy in universities. "Students are waiting to graduate and parents have paid fees. It's time for parties to compromise for the sake of our education system," he indicated.

Back in October, the lecturers issued a fresh notice of nationwide demonstrations due to the government's failure to honour the agreement reached between the union leaders and the government in September this year.

The unions accused the government of negligence despite initially promising to fulfil their demands. They declared that the job boycott would resume in 7 days.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, while announcing that the government would join forces with UASU in a bid to address issues raised by lecturers that led them to strike, announced on September 25 that "During the meeting, which was attended by UASU Secretary General Dr Constantine Wasonga and KUSU Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya among other members, we agreed on the formation of an inter-ministerial negotiating team."

The committee would address the key concerns raised by the unions and work toward a return-to-work agreement. The team was to comprise representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), public universities, the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC), and the unions.

Mutua urged the team to fast-track its mandate in a bid to end the strike which affected thousands of students, a situation he believed was not pleasing to the government's eyes.