Boom for university staff paid Sh3.85b
Education
By
Lewis Nyaundi
| Dec 20, 2025
Education CS Julius Ogamba has announced that the Ministry of Education has settled the Sh3.85 billion owed to lecturers as arrears under the 2017–2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which triggered a 45-day nationwide strike in public universities.
The Cabinet Secretary said the money was released to university accounts on Thursday, adding that the remaining balance will be paid in July 2026 as agreed under a two-phased payment plan.
Speaking during the 58th graduation ceremony of Kenyatta University, CS Ogamba said the government was committed to restoring industrial harmony in the university sub-sector, noting that academic staff welfare directly affects the quality of higher education.
“The outstanding arrears from the 2017–2021 and 2021–2025 CBAs are now being settled, with the first instalment being processed this year and the balance scheduled for payment in the 2026/2027 financial year,” Ogamba said.
The breakthrough followed months of negotiations between university unions and the Inter-Public Universities Councils’ Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).
University workers agreed to a return-to-work deal in November after the unions and IPUCCF signed a Return to Work Formula on November 5, 2025.
At the time, the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) acknowledged that the agreement fell short of its initial demand for immediate full payment of the Sh7.9 billion arrears, but said it had opted to prioritise stability in the sector.
“We are not leaving this industrial action with all that we wanted, which was immediate full payment of Sh7.9 billion,” UASU secretary-general Emmanuel Wasonga said.
He added: “Yet, considering the firm commitment by the National Treasury and Parliament, and balancing the interests of more than 600,000 students and the survival of the higher education sector, UASU has made concessions and hereby calls off the strike.”
The strike, which began on September 17, 2025, paralysed learning in all public universities and their constituent colleges for more than six weeks, disrupting the academic calendar and delaying graduations
Ogamba noted that while settling the arrears was a critical step, the country must reflect on the heavy cost of prolonged industrial action, loss of teaching time.
“The cost of seven weeks of lost learning time is far greater than the Sh7.9 billion in arrears. It is borne by students, parents and the nation,” he said.
He added that the government was keen to fast-track negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA to avoid a repeat of the standoffs that have frequently disrupted public universities.
The Education CS also challenged universities to pursue financial sustainability, warning that the exchequer could no longer shoulder the full burden of the sub-sector.
He urged institutions to diversify revenue sources, monetise research and digital innovation, and build strategic partnerships to reduce dependence on government funding.
Ogamba made the remarks as he presided over the graduation of the Class of 2025 at Kenyatta University, where he called on universities to embrace digital pedagogy, data-driven research and institutional agility to remain competitive locally and globally.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro were among thousands of students who graduated from Kenyatta University on Friday.
Mr Nyoro earned a second master’s degree, graduating with a Master of Arts in Economics from Kenyatta University, just weeks after completing another M.A. in Economics at the University of Nairobi, underscoring his continued pursuit of academic excellence.
On the other hand, Governor Barasa was conferred with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Policy and Management, marking a major academic milestone alongside his public service career.
Their graduation was part of the 58th graduation ceremony of Kenyatta University, which brought together graduands from various disciplines with 61 PhDs, 571 Master’s graduates and 5,888 undergraduate degrees conferred.