We have a deal, striking lecturers says

Education CS Julius Ogamba, UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga, KUSU SG Charles Mukhwaya, UASU chairperson Grace Nyongesa after a meeting on October 28, 2026. [Courtesy]

University lecturers have reached approximately Sh20 billion agreement with the government to end their four-week strike, raising hopes of a return to normal learning in public universities from Monday next week.

The deal, announced after negotiations involving university unions and senior government officials, provides a breakthrough in a dispute that had left thousands of students stranded, disrupted academic programmes and heightened uncertainty over the future of higher education.

A Ministry of Education official said the money would be paid in three phases, although the technical teams are expected to work out the precise allocations and implementation details before the agreement is formally documented.

Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Dr Constantine Wasonga said the agreement was reached through negotiations rather than figures imposed on the unions.

“Today we have a figure we have negotiated as a union, and that is what the union stood for. We have a deal worth Sh20 Billion for the 2025- 2029 CBA down from Sh3.1 B, Sh9.76 B, Sh11.95 B. The Sh20 Billion is for Basic salary and allowances!” said Wasonga.

He said the union's technical team would meet to put the agreed terms on paper, with the strike scheduled to be officially called off on Friday at 3pm.

“To comrades, start walking towards the university. I want to assure you that on Monday, you shall have your lessons,” Wasonga tsaid. 

The agreement follows weeks of industrial action over outstanding financial commitments and disagreements between university unions and the government over the implementation of staff remuneration agreements.

The prolonged dispute exposed persistent tensions over lecturers' pay, the cost of sustaining public universities and the government's capacity to meet its obligations.

The strike also raised concerns about the academic calendar, delayed examinations and the additional financial and emotional burden placed on students and their families.

For students approaching graduation, the disruption threatened to prolong their stay in university, while institutions faced pressure to recover lost teaching time.

Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary-General Dr Charles Mukhwaya said the latest negotiations had achieved in three hours what had taken university vice-chancellors years to agree on through the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).

“We have a deal that has been arrived at amicably,” Mukhwaya said, adding that technical committees would calculate the exact amounts due to individual staff members.

The unions leaders thanked Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo for helping bring the parties together.

Mukhwaya said the government officials involved in the talks, saying their willingness to engage union leaders had helped break the impasse that had kept universities in limbo for four weeks.

“What took the vice chancellors years to get on agreement has taken us only three hours to have a deal. I want to assure you that a deal has been arrived at amicably and technical committees are going to sit to now simulate exact details to each member of staff in our universities,” said Mukhwaya.