University lecturers call off strike after 49 days

Learning in public universities is set to resume after lecturers called off their strike that had lasted for 49 days.

The lecturers' unions and Ministry of Education officials announced the deal to end the strike, following a whole morning meeting held at Jogoo House.

Apart from paying the Sh7.9 billion arrears in two phases, the unions and ministry officials agreed to conclude the 2025-2029 Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement (CBA) within the next 30 days.

The first tranche of Sh3.8 billion will be paid between this month and next month, while the balance will be offset by July next year.

“We have agreed to be paid in two instalments; one between November and December for 3.8 billion shillings, and the second in July next year. We are happy that we have secured the whole amount,” UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga said, adding, “We have agreed to return to work in good faith after assurances that the pending issues will be addressed promptly.”

The unions that include the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and Kenya Union of Domestic Hotels Educational Institutions Hospitals & Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) said they hoped government would not renege on its pledge.

"It is upon the government that you honour what we have signed here today. If you honour what we have signed here today, I want to commit that there shall be no strike called by UASU up to 2030," UASU’s Wesonga cautioned.

The deal was witnessed by Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba and his Principal Secretaries (PSs) Prof Julius Bitok (Basic Education) and Beatrice Inyangala (Higher Education and Research).

CS Ogamba welcomed the development, saying the resumption of lectures will restore normalcy in public universities and ensure students complete the remainder of the academic calendar without further disruption.

“We appreciate the spirit of dialogue that prevailed. The government remains committed to improving the welfare of our lecturers and ensuring the stability of higher education,” Ogamba stated.

The announcement is a big relief for thousands of university students who have remained idle on campus for seven weeks now, losing learning hours.

"I want to apologise to the comrades for the 42 plus days they have lost. However, our members have committed that they are going to recover the lost time fully," Wesonga said.

The deal to end the strike that had paralysed education activities in all the 42 public universities was midwifed by the National Assembly Committee on Education that met with Ministry of Education officials and the unions on Tuesday.

It’s at the meeting that MPs recommended that the outstanding amount be paid in two phases instead of three, as had been suggested by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.

Lecturers went on strike in mid-September, just as the first semester was beginning, with first years who had reported to campus being among the most affected, given they had just finished orientation and were settling down to start classes.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba this morning was locked in a high-stakes closed-door meeting with leaders of public university unions as the government races to end the ongoing strike that has crippled learning across the country.

The meeting, convened by Ogamba, began at 8am at Jogoo House and brings together top officials from the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and KUDEIHA.

The meeting followed a tense but promising session with the National Assembly Education Committee yesterday, where unions signaled they were open to compromise, but only if the government meets key demands.

UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga told MPs the union would convene its members within 48 hours to reconsider elements of the industrial action, a rare softening of stance after weeks of stalemate.

He also insisted on an 80:20 payment plan for arrears, 80 percent immediately and the balance later, rejecting the government's earlier 50:50 proposal.

“We cannot accept an arrangement that results in recurring strikes every time there's a phase of payment,” Wasonga told lawmakers

This, as he warned that partial settlement without clear timelines would only fuel more disruption.

KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya took issue with university leadership, accusing vice-chancellors of poor planning and failure to budget for CBAs, which he said contributed to the stalemate.

He urged Parliament to press universities to improve governance and financial management.

The unions further demanded immediate commencement of negotiations for the 2025-2029 CBA, while insisting that full implementation of the current and previous agreements was non-negotiable.

Committee Chair Julius Melly urged both parties to find middle ground, warning that prolonged closure of universities threatened the academic calendar, research programmes and graduation timelines.