University lecturers on Saturday, November 23, called off their strike which has lasted for three weeks.
The strike has been suspended following the government’s commitment to uphold the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), estimated at Ksh9.7 billion.
In a press briefing, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General Constantine Wasonga called on lecturers to resume duties.
“The government has agreed to allocate Ksh9.6 billion for the 2021–2025 CBA. Therefore, the University Academic Staff Union is convinced that the government has acceded to our demands, and we officially call off the strike that began on October 29.
UASU officials call off strike
I want to impress upon lecturers that we should prepare to resume classes on Monday, November 25. We should also work with the university management and Senate to make arrangements to recover the time lost for the students,” Wasonga said.
At the same time, Wesonga said that they will extend teaching hours during the daily schedule and also on weekends to recover time lost during the industrial strike.
Also Read: University Issues Notice to Students Over Class Attendance Amid Nationwide Strike by Lecturers
Wasonga was accompanied at the press conference by UASU officials, along with officials from the Ministry of Education, including Education CS Julius Ogamba.
Dons have also formalized their return to work by signing a return-to-work formula with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).
Government agrees to implement lecturers
The implementation of the CBA will be carried out in three phases. The first phase involves disbursing Ksh4.3 billion over nine months, ending in June 2025.
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The remaining Ksh5.4 billion will be released in two equal instalments of Ksh.2.7 billion each. Additionally, all legal cases related to the recent lecturers’ strike will be withdrawn as part of the agreement.
UASU lecturers’ strike has been ongoing for about four weeks before it was called off.
Also Read: University Issues Notice to Students Over Class Attendance Amid Nationwide Strike by Lecturers
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.
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