The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government to fulfill its commitments, warning that failure to do so may result in significant disruptions to universities across the country.
Lecturers at public universities have threatened to strike in two weeks if the government does not resolve the issue of unpaid December salaries and arrears dating back to September 2024.
The ultimatum, which commenced on Wednesday, also demands the implementation of the 2021-25 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). University lecturers have affirmed their intention to strike if their demands, including a salary agreement reached last year, are not addressed.
“We agreed that the new salaries for university lecturers will be implemented in December and that we would also receive arrears for the month of October and November,” UASU Organising Secretary Onesmus Mutio said.
This is not the first instance of criticism directed at the government regarding this issue. UASU had previously rescinded a strike on November 23, 2024, after reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Education. “The government did not honour the return-to-work formula, and therefore we are compelled to strike again in November,” he stated.
The resolution followed the government’s commitment to fully implement the Sh9. 7 billion CBA, which was negotiated after a lengthy strike that commenced on September 18, 2024. The return-to-work agreement, signed on November 25, 2024, temporarily alleviated tensions.
However, Mutio conveyed disappointment at the government’s failure to meet its commitments, cautioning that lecturers would not resume work until all outstanding payments were addressed.
“We saw a circular from the PS directing the universities to prepare to pay the new salaries in December, but again as we went for Christmas, the university dons went for Christmas without their new salaries as it was expected,” Mutio expressed his disappointment.
The National Treasury had promised to allocate the full CBA amount in the 2024/2025 financial year through Supplementary Estimates II. These funds were to be released in three phases: an initial Sh4.3 billion to cover nine months until June 2025, followed by two instalments of Sh2.7 billion each.
But in December, the lecturers were shocked to receive their salaries without any increment, despite a clear directive from Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala’s September letter to pay both salaries and increments. University officials claim they haven’t received funds from the government to implement the payments.
The lecturers had gone on strike on September 18 after negotiations between the government and their representatives collapsed. With the return-to-work formula signed, lecturers in public universities resumed academic activities on November 25.
