The month-long lecturers’ strike that has disrupted learning in public universities across the country could finally come to an end this week.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Monday revealed that talks between the government and the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) are in the final stages, raising hopes for thousands of students who have been out of class since mid-September.
Ogamba said both sides have made significant progress in resolving the dispute surrounding the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and are also close to reaching a consensus on the 2025–2029 CBA.
“We met with the university union over the weekend in Machakos to work out the issues of the 2017–2021 CBA,” said Ogamba. “They also have another team negotiating the 2025–2029 cycle. We expect a report today that will determine how much money is outstanding, after which we will announce the way forward.”
The CS disclosed that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has agreed to release Ksh7.2 billion to settle part of the lecturers’ demands, slightly below the union’s Ksh7.9 billion claim leaving a difference of Ksh624 millionstill under discussion.
The strike, which began on September 17, has left learning at public universities paralysed for nearly a month. Frustrated students have staged demonstrations and, in some cases, threatened to join their lecturers in pushing the government to act swiftly.
Lecturers have accused the government of failing to implement key provisions of their agreements, including automatic annual salary increments, statutory deductions, and medical and pension benefits grievances that have persisted in the higher education sector for years.
Last week, UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wesonga took aim at the SRC, accusing it of meddling in the collective bargaining process by capping salary proposals at Ksh3 billion over four years.
“By labour law, we are supposed to negotiate with our employer, not the SRC,” Wesonga said in a statement issued on October 9. “The SRC is supposed to advise not dictate. If they want to negotiate with us directly, they should come to the table. How can Ksh3 billion over four years be shared among all three university unions?”
Despite the heated exchanges, both the ministry and the union have expressed optimism that an agreement will be reached this week bringing much-needed relief to lecturers and students whose academic calendars have been thrown into disarray.
