UASU to officially declare end of strike tomorrow as varsities eye Monday reopening

University lecturers are expected to formally call off their month-long strike tomorrow, paving the way for learning to resume in public universities next week after a breakthrough in negotiations with the government.

Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga said the union will announce the end of the industrial action at 3pm tomorrow, after its technical team documents the terms of a Sh20 billion financial agreement reached with the government.

Mr Wasonga said the agreement followed negotiations and was not imposed on the union. The technical teams were expected to meet today to put the agreed terms into writing ahead of the announcement.

He urged lecturers to prepare to return to their universities and expressed optimism that normal teaching would resume on Monday if the process goes as planned.

The development has raised hopes among thousands of students whose studies have been disrupted since lecturers downed their tools on October 2 over disagreements on the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The proposed settlement marks a notable shift from the government's earlier offers, which union officials had rejected as inadequate.

On Monday, October 26, the government tabled a proposal worth about Sh11.96 billion. The unions rejected it, arguing that it did not cover the cost of implementing the new CBA.

UASU had sought Sh98 billion for the four-year agreement, citing the need for substantial salary adjustments and better allowances for university academic staff.

The new Sh20 billion figure is about Sh8 billion higher than the government's latest proposal. However, the detailed breakdown of the package and the payment schedule had not been made public by the time of the announcement.

The negotiations have centred on salary increments, house and other allowances, and wider concerns over staff remuneration and the financing of university employees. UASU has pushed for basic salary increases of between 36 and 68 per cent, depending on staff grades, alongside a 57 per cent rise in house allowances.

The strike has disrupted academic programmes across public universities, leaving students uncertain about the completion of their semesters and the scheduling of examinations. Students have called for a swift resolution, warning that the prolonged interruption could affect their academic calendars and delay their progress.

Although the Sh20 billion deal has raised expectations, the formal documentation of the agreement and the union's official declaration remain key steps before the strike can be considered over. If the process is completed as anticipated, universities could begin restoring normal academic activities on Monday.