NAIROBI, Kenya – Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua on Wednesday held crucial talks with leaders of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) in a bid to resolve the two-week strike that has paralyzed learning in public universities.
In the meeting, attended by UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga and KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya, an agreement was reached to form an inter-ministerial negotiating team.
The task force will include representatives from key government bodies such as the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education, National Treasury, Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), public universities, and the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC), along with the two unions.
The committee’s primary goal will be to address the pressing issues raised by the unions and expedite the formulation of a return-to-work agreement.
Among the key concerns are salary increments and allowances, central to the unions’ demands, with potential room for further negotiation on other provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Mutua stressed the importance of addressing these grievances before they escalate into prolonged industrial action.
“We must deal with these matters before they fester,” he said, adding that his ministry is committed to ensuring fairness in employer-worker negotiations.
He further emphasized that once CBAs are signed, they must be honored, and in cases of challenges, workers should be informed promptly and with transparency.
