Uasu members during a past protest/FILEStudents in public universities who are still holed up in their institutions are better off traveling home now than enduring more uncertainty, as lecturers have vowed to stay on strike until the Sh7.94 billion they are demanding is paid in a lump sum.
The lecturers have rejected a government proposal for a phased payout of Sh7.76 billion in verified arrears by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for the 2017–21 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
They have cited the government’s penchant for backtracking on its pledges, saying that agreeing to the phased payout would mean lecturers going on strike multiple times to push for implementation.
“The government is proposing to implement the Sh7.9 billion in three phases—that’s three strikes, and we don’t want to subject our students to further frustration,” University Academic Staff Union secretary general Constantine Wasonga said on Thursday.
In the proposal fronted by the Ministry of Education, Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the dons would be paid Sh2.1 billion in phase one and Sh2.8 billion in each of the last two phases.
Following the lecturers’ tough stance, the ministry made concessions and offered to pay the verified amount in two tranches, but this too was rejected.
Ogamba did not give timelines for either of the payouts, even as he urged the lecturers to show a sense of patriotism and resume classes.
“This position is regrettable, given that most of the concerns raised by the unions have been fully addressed, and a roadmap for addressing the remaining one has been presented with obvious goodwill and compromises on the part of the government,” he said on Friday.
Despite both sides showing a willingness to embrace dialogue, the bone of contention remains the actual figure of the monies owed to the lecturers.
The unions insist on Sh7.94 billion, while government verification puts it at Sh7.76 billion—a discrepancy arising from separate audits.
Until consensus is reached on that issue, the government’s offer—whether paid in phases or as a lump sum—won’t resolve the impasse.
When the lecturers went on strike in mid-September, they tabled three key grievances: payment of the second tranche of arrears for the 2021–25 CBA, the start of negotiations for the 2025–29 CBA, and full implementation of the 2017–21 CBA.
Whereas the unions are demanding Sh7.94 billion for the 2017–21 pay deal, Ogamba said the SRC informed the government that an audit only found Sh624 million as the amount due.
He said that owing to the divergent positions, the government undertook a comprehensive review of payroll data from public universities and returned an outstanding figure of Sh7.76 billion.
Ogamba said that as far as the 2021–25 pay deal is concerned, the only outstanding balance is Sh2.73 billion from an agreed cumulative figure of Sh9.76 billion.
He explained that the government already paid the first tranche of Sh4.3 billion and the second tranche of Sh2.73 billion.
“The balance of Sh2.73 billion will be paid in the next financial year as scheduled under the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the CS said in a statement.
He added that negotiations for the 2025–29 CBA are also underway, with the government represented by the Inter-Public Universities Councils’ Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).
The CS also confirmed that the unions have already presented their offers and counteroffers, which are now the subject of negotiations.
“We therefore appeal to the university staff’s sense of patriotism and duty of care to our students—that they resume work in their respective universities and allow opportunity for constructive negotiations towards a mutually acceptable and sustainable solution,” Ogamba said.
However, lecturers are adamant that they won’t risk returning to lecture halls with partial pay, as this will only mean more strikes will follow in efforts to force the government to honour its pledge.
Wasonga argued that they would rather subject university students to prolonged suffering once than for several short stints.
He said that if the government agrees to pay the amount due at once, the earliest the unions will call for another strike is 2030.
“Let the country know that lecturers have blatantly refused to go back to work if the Sh7.9 billion is not paid,” he told the media on Thursday, flanked by Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) secretary general Charles Mukhwaya.
Mukhwaya echoed the sentiments and called on all non-teaching staff to toe the line and remain on strike until the unions direct otherwise.
“Students should also be patient; they should not worry. We have no doubt we shall reach a resolution, but for now, the strike is still on.”
It now remains to be seen whether the ongoing negotiations will yield a breakthrough—or whether students should brace for yet another long stay at home come January as both sides haggle over the amount due and payment schedule.
