NAIROBI, Kenya – University lecturers have called off their strike after the government signed an agreement to fully implement a Sh9.7 billion Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), bringing an end to a standoff that had crippled public universities for months.
The breakthrough was reached during negotiations between the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), with the involvement of key government ministries and the National Treasury.
The agreement outlines a phased payment plan. The Treasury will allocate Sh4.3 billion in the 2024–2025 financial year under Supplementary Estimates II, while the remaining Sh5.4 billion will be disbursed in two instalments of Sh2.7 billion each.
“This agreement marks a significant milestone for lecturers and ensures that quality education in public universities can resume. I urge all lecturers to prepare to return to classes on Monday,” said UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga.
The strike, which began in September, had disrupted learning in public universities and constituent colleges, leaving students and parents grappling with uncertainty.
The impasse was fueled by lecturers’ demands for the full implementation of the 2021–2025 CBA, which includes salary and benefits adjustments.
Wasonga emphasized that steps would be taken to recover lost academic time.
“We will work with university management and Senates to extend teaching hours and schedule weekend classes. Our priority is to ensure students receive the quality education they deserve,” he said.
As part of the return-to-work deal, all legal petitions related to the strike have been withdrawn, signaling a fresh start in relations between the unions and university administrations.
The resolution followed a tense week of negotiations. On Thursday, UASU had rejected an earlier proposal that committed Sh4.3 billion without a concrete plan for the remaining Sh5.4 billion.
Wasonga made it clear the strike would only end once the government provided a written roadmap for the entire sum.
“We were firm that the Sh9.7 billion must be accounted for in full. Verbal assurances were not enough,” he said.
The talks involved multiple stakeholders, including the ministries of Education, Labour, and Treasury, as well as unions representing academic and non-teaching staff.
Alongside UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, and Hospitals Workers (KUDHEIHA) participated in the discussions.
The breakthrough was reached during negotiations between the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), with the involvement of key government ministries and the National Treasury.
The agreement outlines a phased payment plan. The Treasury will allocate Sh4.3 billion in the 2024–2025 financial year under Supplementary Estimates II, while the remaining Sh5.4 billion will be disbursed in two instalments of Sh2.7 billion each.
“This agreement marks a significant milestone for lecturers and ensures that quality education in public universities can resume. I urge all lecturers to prepare to return to classes on Monday,” said UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga.
The strike, which began in September, had disrupted learning in public universities and constituent colleges, leaving students and parents grappling with uncertainty.
The impasse was fueled by lecturers’ demands for the full implementation of the 2021–2025 CBA, which includes salary and benefits adjustments.
Wasonga emphasized that steps would be taken to recover lost academic time.
“We will work with university management and Senates to extend teaching hours and schedule weekend classes. Our priority is to ensure students receive the quality education they deserve,” he said.
As part of the return-to-work deal, all legal petitions related to the strike have been withdrawn, signaling a fresh start in relations between the unions and university administrations.
The resolution followed a tense week of negotiations. On Thursday, UASU had rejected an earlier proposal that committed Sh4.3 billion without a concrete plan for the remaining Sh5.4 billion.
Wasonga made it clear the strike would only end once the government provided a written roadmap for the entire sum.
“We were firm that the Sh9.7 billion must be accounted for in full. Verbal assurances were not enough,” he said.
The talks involved multiple stakeholders, including the ministries of Education, Labour, and Treasury, as well as unions representing academic and non-teaching staff.
Alongside UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, and Hospitals Workers (KUDHEIHA) participated in the discussions.
