Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called on striking university lecturers to obey court orders and return to work. He emphasized that the government remains committed to resolving their grievances through negotiations. Ogamba made these remarks during celebrations to mark World Teachers’ Day at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
Ogamba stated that the government had demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of university staff by clearing outstanding arrears arising from previous Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). He mentioned that all arrears under the 2017–2021 and 2021–2025 CBAs had been fully settled. This, he said, showed the government's willingness to address the lecturers' concerns.
The Cabinet Secretary assured that the government was now focused on ensuring that future agreements were negotiated and concluded on time. This includes the 2025–2029 CBA, which is currently at the centre of the lecturers’ dispute. Ogamba expressed the government's commitment to timely negotiations and conclusion of Collective Bargaining Agreements.
The ongoing strike by members of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has disrupted university operations. UASU Secretary General Dr Constantine Wasonga stated that the union had exhausted available channels of engagement and could no longer postpone industrial action. The union is opposed to a proposed Sh9.76 billion allocation for the 2025–2029 CBA, citing it as inadequate.
Wasonga argued that the proposed allocation was comparable to the amount used to implement the previous agreement, despite the new CBA covering a longer period. He emphasized that a CBA for four years could not consume Sh9.76 billion, similar to the Sh9.7 billion used for the two-year 2021–2025 CBA.
Ogamba urged university staff unions and individual lecturers to reciprocate the government's good faith by complying with court orders and resuming teaching. He emphasized that the ongoing strike should not disrupt the education of university students, given the government's willingness to resolve the lecturers' concerns at the negotiating table.
The strike by university lecturers has significant implications for the education sector in Kenya. With the government's commitment to resolving grievances, Ogamba's call for lecturers to return to work is seen as a crucial step towards finding a lasting solution. The government's efforts to address the lecturers' concerns will be closely watched by stakeholders in the education sector.
Key points
- The government has cleared outstanding arrears under the 2017–2021 and 2021–2025 CBAs.
- The 2025–2029 CBA is currently at the centre of the lecturers’ dispute.
- University lecturers are opposed to a proposed Sh9.76 billion allocation for the 2025–2029 CBA.
