Education Committee Meets University Union and Council Over Ongoing Lecturers’ Strike
The National Assembly Committee on Education convened today with representatives from the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) to address the ongoing strike by university lecturers.
Chaired by Hon. Julius Melly, the meeting focused on the issues surrounding the stalled Return-To-Work Formula, which was initially agreed upon in September but has since failed to deliver the promised salary adjustments. The committee members sought clarity on the government’s delayed fulfillment of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between UASU and the government, which outlines wage increases and improvements in working conditions for university staff.
Dr. Constantine Wasonga, UASU’s National Secretary-General, expressed the union’s deep frustration, highlighting that lecturers had not seen the full implementation of the CBA, with only a fraction of the agreed salary increase honored so far. “Our members have been patient, but the government’s reluctance to honor the CBA is disheartening. We only received a fraction of the agreed increase,” Dr. Wasonga stated. “We’ve asked for talks to resume, but those requests have gone unanswered.”
Documents reviewed during the session revealed that, while the CBA was supposed to bring a 7% salary increase for senior staff (grades 13A to 15A) and a 10% raise for mid-level staff (grades 10A to 12A), only 4.5% of the agreed increase had been paid out. This has led to growing discontent within the union and contributed to the resumption of the strike on October 29, 2024.
The renewed strike followed a breakdown in negotiations over the government’s failure to release the KES 9.7 billion needed to cover the promised salary adjustments. Dr. Wasonga pointed out that the union could not accept the new proposal of KES 4.3 billion, which the government introduced in place of the original figure. “It is not possible to work with the percentages as given out in the Return-To-Work Agreement and also the global figure of Kshs. 4.3B proposed at the same time. The signed agreement was publicized and therefore workers have done their calculations based on its parameters. The Kshs. 4.3B figure was not part of the signed agreement,” he remarked.
Prof. Fred Simiyu Barasa, the Chairperson of IPUCCF, confirmed that the government had initially agreed to raise salaries by between 7% and 10% depending on staff grade. However, he cited financial constraints as the reason for the delay in releasing the necessary funds. “The financial constraints we face have delayed the salary increments,” Prof. Barasa said.
Committee members, including Hon. Clive Gesairo, expressed concerns over the unexplained revision of the salary adjustment package to KES 4.3 billion and demanded further clarification. “Can you present documents that show how the Inter-Ministerial Committee arrived at Kshs 4.3B?” asked Hon. Gesairo.
In light of the ongoing disruption caused by the strike, Hon. Melly emphasized the broader impact on students and urged both UASU and IPUCCF to explore alternative strategies for negotiation. “The prolonged strike has a cascading effect on students, their families, and the education sector. We urge both parties to find a workable solution that ensures academic continuity,” he said.
The Committee has directed UASU and IPUCCF to provide detailed documentation on the implementation of the CBA and to submit findings from the Inter-Ministerial Committee regarding the budget allocations in question.
As the strike continues to affect university education across the country, the Committee hopes that the ongoing dialogue will pave the way for a resolution that will allow academic activities to resume without further disruption.
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