Lecturers to sign Ksh 20B deal to end strike on Friday, UASU confirms

The government and lecturers have reached a verbal agreement worth Ksh20 billion to end a four-week strike that has paralysed all learning at universities across the country.

Addressing the press moments after reaching the agreement, the Secretary-General of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU), Constantine Wesonga, said the deal is set to be signed on Friday, October 30.

“We have a deal on the financials. Tomorrow our technical team is going to sit down to put what we have agreed on on pen and paper,” Wesonga said. 

According to Wesonga, lecturers would return to class on Monday, November 2, 2026.

“To comrades, start walking towards your universities. I want to assure you that from Monday, you shall have your lessons,” Added Wesonga.

On Friday, the unions are to review how much each member of staff will get in the new agreement before putting pen to paper with the government.

Lecturers drawn from UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and KUDHEIHA downed their tools on October 2, paralysing learning in 35 public institutions.

The lecturers were demanding fresh negotiations and implementation of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). Several rounds of talks collapsed, with the government adamant it could not go beyond the Ksh12 billion mark.

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Last week, the government reportedly offered the lecturers Ksh12 billion, which they turned down.

However, on Monday, October 26, an inter-ministerial committee presented an updated counter-offer of Ksh11.96 billion. The unions rejected it, pointing out that it was actually a slight reduction from a Ksh12 billion figure.

The unions contested that the Ksh12 billion would be equal to a 3 per cent basic salary increase. On Thursday, the government upped its offer to Ksh20 billion, which the lecturers accepted.

“Today we have agreed on a figure we have negotiated with the government, not a figure imposed on the unions,” Wesonga asserted.

The deal followed talks between the union leaders, university heads, Education CS Julius Ogamba, Treasury CS John Mbadi, and PS Internal Security Raymond Omollo. 

Students have protested the prolonged talks, with University of Nairobi students taking to the streets in anger and closing Waiyaki Way twice this week in protest. 

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