The government and university lecturers have reached a verbal agreement worth Sh20 billion to end a four-week strike that has paralysed learning in 35 public universities across the country.
University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Constantine Wesonga said the deal would be formalised on Friday, October 30, after union representatives review the proposed allocations for individual staff members.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, October 28, Wesonga announced that lecturers would resume teaching on Monday, November 2, 2026, bringing hope to thousands of students whose studies have been disrupted by the industrial action.
“We have a deal on the financials. Tomorrow our technical team is going to sit down to put what we have agreed on pen and paper,” Wesonga said.
He urged lecturers to prepare to return to their respective institutions, assuring students that classes would resume next week.
“To comrades, start walking towards your universities. I want to assure you that from Monday, you shall have your lessons,” he added.
The agreement follows weeks of negotiations between the government and unions representing university academic and non-academic staff, including UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and KUDHEIHA.
The unions called the strike on October 2, demanding fresh negotiations and implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
Negotiations had repeatedly stalled over the financial terms, with the government initially maintaining that it could not exceed Sh12 billion.
An updated government offer of Sh11.96 billion presented by an inter-ministerial committee on Monday, October 26, was rejected by the unions, who argued that it was lower than the previous Sh12 billion proposal.
The lecturers also maintained that the Sh12 billion offer translated to only a 3 per cent basic salary increase, which they considered inadequate.
The government subsequently raised its offer to Sh20 billion, a figure the unions accepted after further negotiations.
“Today we have agreed on a figure we have negotiated with the government, not a figure imposed on the unions,” Wesonga said.
The talks involved union leaders, university heads, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo.
On Friday, union representatives are expected to scrutinise the proposed distribution of the funds among staff before the agreement is formally signed.
The strike has sparked growing frustration among students, with University of Nairobi students staging protests this week and blocking Waiyaki Way twice to demand a resolution to the dispute.
The planned resumption of classes is expected to offer relief to students and university administrators as institutions work to recover lost teaching time.
