KENYA : University lecturers, under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), have officially agreed to return to work following the signing of a return-to-work formula with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).

Earlier this week, Appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee, UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga accepted a Ksh 4.3 Billion offer but demanded that the remaining Sh5.4 billion be paid over two financial years.

“UASU accepts the Sh4.3 billion, but the government must commit to paying the Sh5.4 billion in two installments: half in the 2025/2026 financial year and the remainder in 2026/2027,” Wasonga stated on Thursday.

“The strike is on until we get the Sh 9.7 billion. We will take the Sh4.3 billion and in turn the government must tell us how we are getting the Sh5.4 billion and it must be done voluntarily,” he said on Thursday.

The development came during a meeting that included Principal Secretary for Higher Education Beatrice Inyangala, Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, and members of the Inter-Public Universities Council Consultative Forum.

The chair of the House Education Committee, Julius Melly, directed the stakeholders to reach a consensus and sign a formal commitment on implementing the CBA.

In light of this, the Universities Academic Staff Union and Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum have signed the agreement, bringing to an end the stalemate.

Consequently, Kenyan University lecturers on Saturday, November 23, called off their strike which has lasted for 25 days.

The strike has been suspended following the government’s commitment to uphold the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), estimated at Ksh. 9.7 billion.

Dons have also formalized their return to work by signing a return-to-work formula with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).

The University Academic Staff Union lecturers’ strike has been ongoing for about four weeks before it was called off.

It began in October following a breakdown in negotiations between the union and the government over the implementation of a return-to-work formula agreed upon in September.

UASU lecturers went on strike mainly due to unmet salary increments and the government’s failure to fully implement the CBA.

Earlier, the government had allocated Sh4.3 billion to address part of the lecturers’ demands, but UASU insisted on receiving the full Sh9.7 billion required to meet their salary adjustments.