Breakthrough Reached in Talks Between Government and UASU Over Lecturers’ Strike
There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel in the ongoing lecturers’ strike after a major breakthrough was achieved in a crucial meeting between the government and the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU).
The high-level meeting, held on Tuesday, November 4, brought together top officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Treasury, the National Assembly, and the UASU leadership.
The talks, facilitated by the National Assembly Committee on Education, were aimed at finding a lasting solution to the 48-day-long strike that has paralyzed learning in public universities across the country.
Speaking after the meeting, UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga hinted that the union could soon reconsider its hard stance and possibly call off the strike.
He revealed that UASU’s leadership would convene an internal meeting with its members to deliberate on the way forward and discuss whether to end the industrial action.
“For the sake of the children and students of this country, we are going to convene, as the organs of the union, so that we can reconsider,” Wesonga said, showing optimism for a positive outcome.
The meeting brought together all key stakeholders in the standoff to deliberate on a possible resolution.
However, Wesonga did not shy away from expressing his frustrations, demanding a formal apology from the Ministry of Education for what he termed as threats and intimidation against lecturers who participated in the strike.
He also accused the Interpublic Universities Council Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) of mishandling the issue and demoralizing university staff.
During the heated session, the union boss presented a firm demand for an 80-20 phased payment plan to settle the Ksh7.9 billion arrears owed to lecturers.
According to him, this was the irreducible minimum that the union would accept, dismissing the government’s proposed 50-50 payment arrangement.
“The worst of the worst is 80-20. They give us 80 per cent, and 20 per cent to remain. 80 per cent will be Ksh5 billion, so that Ksh2 billion is taken to 2026/2027. That is my irreducible minimum, for the sake of you, Mr Chair, the Committee members, and the students of this country,” Wesonga firmly stated.
This demand sparked intense debate during the meeting, as Wesonga insisted that the arrears be paid immediately to restore normalcy in universities.
However, officials from the Treasury maintained that the funds could not be released instantly since due process had to be followed, including budget approvals and disbursement procedures.
Although the meeting marked significant progress, it remains unclear when the union will hold its next internal deliberations or when a final agreement will be reached regarding the payment formula. Both sides, however, appeared more open to dialogue than in previous weeks.
The strike, which has now lasted for over a month, began after the government allegedly failed to fully implement the 2017-2021, 2021-2025, and 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) between the union and the state.
UASU accused the government and IPUCCF of ignoring signed agreements and neglecting lecturers’ welfare despite repeated appeals and meetings.
Back in September, Wesonga issued a seven-day strike notice, expressing deep frustration with the government’s inaction.
He claimed that despite numerous consultations and formal communications, the agreed CBAs—worth billions—had not been honoured, leaving lecturers struggling financially.
He further emphasized that the union had exhausted all channels for peaceful negotiation, blaming both IPUCCF and government officials for breaching the terms of the agreements after what he described as “rigorous and honest discussions.”
During the ongoing industrial action, a court order was issued directing the lecturers to suspend their strike and resume work while engaging in fresh talks with the Education Ministry.
However, UASU members defied the directive, arguing that previous court interventions had not yielded any meaningful results.
As things stand, the latest discussions have revived hopes of ending the deadlock. Many observers believe that if the government and UASU reach a fair compromise on the payment plan, universities could soon reopen and restore academic stability for thousands of stranded students.
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