Jomo Kenyatta University of
Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has announced the resumption of academic
activities following the end of industrial action by university staff unions.
In a notice issued by the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Robert Kinyua, students have been
instructed to report back to the university on Friday, November 7, 2025.
Classes will officially resume on Monday, November 10, 2025.
“Following the calling off of the
industrial action by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya
University Staff Union (KUSU), all students are hereby requested to report back
to the University on Friday, 7th November 2025. Please note that classes will
resume on Monday, 10th November, 2025,” Prof. Kinyua said.
The university thanked students for
their patience and understanding during the disruption.
On November 1, JKUAT announced a
temporary suspension of all academic activities following a staff strike that
disrupted normal operations.
The decision, made during a special
meeting of the university Senate on Thursday, October 30, 2025, took immediate
effect.
According to Prof. Kinyua, the
suspension was prompted by ongoing industrial action by staff affiliated with
UASU and KUSU.
The strike had affected learning and
essential services in several public universities, making it difficult for
JKUAT to sustain its academic calendar.
“Due to the ongoing industrial
action by members of staff under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU)
and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), which has adversely affected the
normal operations of academic programmes, a Special Meeting of Senate held on
Thursday, 30th October 2025, resolved that the University temporarily suspends
academic activities with immediate effect until further notice,” read part of
the notice.
As a result, all students were
instructed to vacate university premises by 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2,
2025.
However, the directive excluded
specific categories of students whose academic activities were considered
essential or ongoing.
“These include medical students on
clinical rotations, JKUAT TVET Institute students, Mombasa Campus students,
those in the School of Open, Distance and eLearning (SODeL), JKUAT/KESRA
students, Nakuru Campus students, and postgraduate students conducting research,”
the notice clarified.
The university described the
suspension as a temporary measure.
“The University management regrets
any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates your understanding and
cooperation during this period,” Prof. Kinyua added, noting that further
communication would be issued through official university channels once the
situation normalises.
The industrial action by UASU and
KUSU was part of a broader dispute between university staff and the government
over salary arrears, implementation of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs),
and delayed promotions.
The strike was called off on
Wednesday after the state and lecturers’ unions reached an agreement.
