After nearly two months of a crippling strike that left students in 42 public universities in limbo, there’s finally a glimmer of hope on the horizon. University lecturers, who walked out of classrooms on September 17, may return as early as Monday, November 10, following a breakthrough in negotiations brokered by Members of Parliament. But here’s where it gets controversial: the University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has softened its stance on the phased payment of Sh7.94 billion in arrears owed to lecturers under the 2017–21 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This shift comes despite the union’s initial hardline demand for full payment, a position that has sparked heated debates among stakeholders.
At the heart of the standoff was not just the payment structure but also a Sh180 million discrepancy between the amount lecturers claimed and what the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) verified. The Ministry of Education insisted on paying Sh7.76 billion in two installments, a proposal lecturers vehemently rejected—until now. And this is the part most people miss: Uasu Secretary General Constantine Wasonga credited the National Assembly Committee on Education for its empathetic handling of the issue, contrasting it sharply with the government’s Inter-Public Universities Councils’ Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), which he accused of treating university staff with disdain.
“The way IPUCCF manages university staff is perfunctory,” Wasonga remarked during the mediation meeting chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly. He added, “Because of your chairmanship and the honorable members who have engaged with us respectfully, I will urge our members to reconsider their stance.” This rare display of flexibility has raised eyebrows, with some questioning whether the union is compromising too much. Wasonga, however, insists that his “irreducible minimum” is an 80-20 payment plan, where 80% (Sh5 billion) is paid immediately, and the remaining 20% (Sh2 billion) is deferred to 2026–27.
The meeting, held at Jogoo House B in Nairobi, brought together Uasu, its sister union Kusu, and key government officials, including Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala. Notably, Wasonga demanded an apology from the ministry for allegedly intimidating lecturers and urged IPUCCF to rethink its engagement strategies. But here’s the kicker: National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi poured cold water on the union’s demand for immediate implementation, citing the need for due diligence.
When the strike began, lecturers had three core demands: payment of the second tranche of arrears for the 2021–25 CBA, commencement of negotiations for the 2025–29 CBA, and full implementation of the 2017–21 CBA. While Wasonga hasn’t confirmed when the union will vote on the phased payment proposal, his willingness to compromise has offered a ray of hope to students who’ve missed weeks of classes. But is this compromise a step forward or a sellout? Weigh in below—do you think the union is making the right call, or should they have held out for full payment? Let the debate begin!
