University lecturers are expected back in class on Monday, November 2, after unions and the government agreed on a Ksh20 billion deal to end a strike that has shut down learning at public universities for four weeks.
Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga announced the breakthrough on Wednesday evening after talks involving Cabinet officials from Education, Public Service and the National Treasury. He said technical teams would put the terms on paper and that the agreement is due to be signed on Friday, October 30. He described it as a figure negotiated with the unions rather than one imposed on them.
Lecturers and staff under UASU, KUSU and KUDHEIHA downed their tools on October 2, paralysing 35 public institutions. They were demanding fresh talks on, and implementation of, the 2025 to 2029 collective bargaining agreements.
Several rounds of negotiations had collapsed, with the government initially refusing to go above Ksh12 billion. The unions rejected that offer, and a revised Ksh11.96 billion proposal on Monday, before the government raised its offer to Ksh20 billion.
The strike had sparked student protests across the country, including clashes with police that closed Waiyaki Way earlier this week.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke.
