University lecturers end 49-day nationwide strike
Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) on Wednesday, November 5, called off the lecturers' strike, which has disrupted university operations
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) on Wednesday, November 5, called off the lecturers’ strike, which has disrupted university operations across the country since September.
The decision to call off the strike followed the government’s commitment to pay the outstanding Ksh7.9 billion in salary arrears owed from the 2017–2021 Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA).
According to UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga, the lecturers and the government had reached an agreement on a two-phase payment of the Ksh7.9 billion.
As per the latest deal, the first phase of the disbursement would be done between November and December, while the second phase would be disbursed in July 2026.
The agreement marks the end of the 49-day-long industrial action that was marred by accusations and counter-accusations between the government and the lecturers’ unions.
Addressing the press, Wasonga assured university students of the lecturers’ commitment to fully recover the lost learning time, with the current semester dates expected to be slightly extended.
“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,” the UASU Secretary General stated.
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“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,” he added.
He, however, warned that should the government fail to honour the agreement, then the lecturers’ unions would immediately convene another strike starting next week.
The agreement paves the way for negotiations over the 2025-2029 CBA, which is expected to be concluded in the next 30 days per the latest return-to-work formula.
Meanwhile, the latest agreement comes a day after the lecturers’ unions hinted at ending the industrial action following an intervention by the National Assembly’s Committee on Education.
Wasonga, while appearing before the committee, stated that the union would convene its organs to reconsider its position on the government’s offer for the sake of the learners.
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