Nairobi: The 49-day strike by university lecturers has officially been called off after the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, and university unions reached an agreement to release Sh7.9 billion owed to staff under the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to Kenya News Agency, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Migos Ogamba announced that the government had successfully concluded talks with the unions to resolve all outstanding issues that had paralyzed learning in public universities for more than six weeks. Speaking during the signing of the return-to-work formula in Nairobi on Wednesday, Ogamba revealed that the prolonged industrial action, which began in September, stemmed from three major concerns including delayed implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA, delayed negotiation of the 2025-2029 CBA, and arrears from the 2017-2021 agreement. He clarified that while the first two issues had been addressed, the main contention remained the outstanding Sh7.9 billion balance from the 2017-2021 CBA.
The unions had argued that the amount was yet to be paid in full. However, after verification by technical teams from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the ministry, and the universities, it was agreed that the verified balance stood at Sh7.76 billion. Additionally, the CS disclosed that after weeks of negotiations and parliamentary mediation, the government had committed to settle the amount in two installments: Sh3.85 billion by the end of December 2025 and another Sh3.85 billion in the 2026-2027 financial year.
Ogamba stated that after extensive consultations and the intervention of the Education Committee of Parliament, a consensus was reached to conclude the matter. He emphasized that the academic calendars would be readjusted to recover lost learning time without burdening students or parents. Importantly, a new inter-ministerial CBA implementation team would be established to monitor future CBAs and prevent disputes from escalating into strikes.
University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General (SG) Dr. Constantine Wasonga confirmed that the union had agreed to suspend the strike following firm commitments from the government to release the arrears. Wasonga insisted that the union had made concessions in the interest of over 600,000 students affected by the strike and the need to safeguard the education sector’s stability.
Wasonga also expressed gratitude to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki for mediating the talks and brokering the final deal. The signed return-to-work formula included provisions to protect members from victimization. Wasonga urged members to resume duty immediately, assuring them that the union would hold the government accountable for implementing the deal.
Meanwhile, Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary General (SG) Dr. Charles Mukhwaya confirmed that all 42 universities had been directed to resume normal operations. Mukhwaya hailed the Deputy President, the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, and the National Assembly for their joint effort in ending the stalemate, describing the outcome as a product of genuine social dialogue.
Concurrently, the SG assured university staff that their jobs were secure, and no one would face administrative sanctions for participating in the strike. He encouraged students to return to class, noting that universities had already developed recovery plans to compensate for lost time.
