Full pay and no victimisation, UASU’s conditional strike truce with Education Ministry
The striking Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has outlined conditional strike call off after 42 days of boycotting lecture halls demanding that their Sh7.9billion salary arrears be paid in full and no member should be victimised for taking part in the industrial action in a truce brokered today after five-hours tense meeting with Education Ministry official sled by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba.
UASU reached an agreement with the government on the payment of the Sh7.9 billion in arrears and agreed that the funds will be disbursed in two phases, with Sh3.85 billion to be paid this year and the remaining half next year.
The breakthrough was announced today afternoon following nearly five hours of closed-door deliberations between Ogamba, UASU leaders and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) officials.
The agreement guarantees reinstatement of all staff, protection from victimisation, and full payment of withheld salaries and benefits.
Under the deal, UASU agreed to immediately call off the industrial action once the document was executed, while the IPUCCF undertook to withdraw all disciplinary actions initiated during the strike.
“Any disciplinary or intended disciplinary actions, including but not limited to show cause letters, warning letters, interdictions, suspensions or dismissals, are hereby withdrawn unconditionally and revoked with immediate effect,” the formula states.
The document further affirms that no staff will lose jobs, benefits, or salary entitlements for participating in the strike.
The CS, who was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, presided over the signing of the Return-to-Work Formula between public universities and staff unions, marking the formal end of the nationwide industrial action.
“The signing ceremony, held at the Ministry’s Jogoo House B offices, brings to an end the industrial action called by UASU, KUSU, and KUDHEIHA. Universities will now resume normal operations, with measures in place to help students recover lost academic time,” said CS Ogamba.
Echoing the optimism, PS Inyangala remarked: “White smoke at last! Kenya’s lecturers’ strike ends classrooms to reopen, and hopes restored for thousands of students.”
UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga and his KUSU counterpart Charles Mukwaya urged members to resume duties immediately, thanking Deputy President Kithure Kindiki for his intervention, which helped resolve the impasse between the unions and the Ministry of Education.
Also present during the talks was the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Prof. Julius Bitok, who commended both parties for embracing dialogue and prioritizing the interests of learners.
All withheld pay and benefits for September and October 2025 are to be released by Monday, November 10, and “the salaries and accrued benefits for the first five days of November 2025 shall not be lost.”
The parties also agreed that universities will work with UASU to recover lost teaching time and safeguard academic quality, factoring in the full seven weeks of industrial action.
On financial settlements, the agreement confirms that the Sh2.73 billion in Phase Two arrears under the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has been “marked as settled,” pending verification by Joint Local Implementation Committees.
Tax computations on the arrears will follow Kenya Revenue Authority guidelines issued in 2020.
The deal also commits the employer and unions to fast-track negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA within 30 days, involving UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and KUDHEIHA workers.
“This Agreement shall be binding on all Public Universities and the Constituent University Colleges under IPUCCF, as well as on UASU and its Chapters, and shall take effect immediately upon signing,” the document read.
Signatories included Prof. Bosire Monari Mwebi, Prof. Daniel Mugendi, and Prof. Fred Simiyu Barasa for the IPUCCF, with witnesses including Prof. Romanus Odhiambo, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, and Prof. Mary Ndung’u.
The agreement is to be filed in the Employment and Labour Relations Court as part of a consent settlement in Cause No. ELRC CBA E214 of 2025.
