University lecturers and staff have dismissed the government’s latest proposal to end their ongoing strike, maintaining that they will not resume teaching until all their demands are met.
Through the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), the lecturers termed the offer to clear Ksh7.9 billion in arrears in two phases as inadequate.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Friday, UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga said both the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Delegates Conference (NDC) had unanimously rejected the government’s proposal, insisting that all pending dues must be settled in full before work resumes.
University Staff Stand Ground, Refuse to End Strike Over Unmet Demands. Photo: Courtesy.
He noted that lecturers have suffered years of unfulfilled promises and delayed pay, accusing the government of consistently failing to honour collective bargaining agreements.
Wesonga insisted that lecturers will only return to class once the 2025–2029 CBA is finalized and implemented in full.
He noted that university staff are also owed four months of unpaid salaries, which should be settled immediately.
UASU declared that the strike will continue until all demands are met, with all 38 chapters instructed to intensify industrial action.
The decision followed NEC and NDC meetings that rejected the government’s two-phase payment plan.
The government’s plan to settle arrears in phases was meant to restore learning in universities, but UASU has refused to back down, vowing to stay on strike until full payment and a new CBA are secured.
