The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has announced that lecturers across Kenya’s public universities will officially resume their strike at midnight tonight. This decision comes after protracted disputes with the government over what the union describes as failed commitments tied to a previously agreed-upon return-to-work formula.
On September 26, UASU and government representatives reached an agreement designed to resolve earlier grievances, primarily focused on salary adjustments, promotion policies, and other critical working conditions affecting academic staff. This deal was initially seen as a breakthrough, prompting lecturers to suspend their strike and return to teaching, pending the government’s implementation of the agreed terms.
According to UASU officials, however, the government has yet to honor these commitments fully. The union claims that promises of improved remuneration and policy adjustments have stalled, leading to widespread frustration among academic staff.
Dr. Wasonga, UASU’s National Secretary-General, emphasized that the union had exercised patience, even as government officials repeatedly postponed implementation deadlines. “We have given the government ample time to uphold its end of the bargain. The lack of action has left us with no choice but to proceed with industrial action,” Dr. Wasonga stated in a press briefing.
The return to strike action places Kenya’s higher education system in jeopardy, potentially disrupting learning for tens of thousands of students enrolled in public universities. Parents, students, and other stakeholders are calling on the government and UASU to resolve the impasse swiftly, warning of severe academic and economic consequences if the strike continues.
UASU has expressed willingness to engage in further dialogue but insists that the government must demonstrate genuine commitment to the agreement.
