University lecturers have vowed to go on strike in two weeks should the government fail to implement a salary deal reached last year.
The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) has given the government a 15-day ultimatum from Wednesday, January 1, 2025, to implement the 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
UASU organising secretary Onesmus Mutio noted that the union and the government agreed that the new salaries for university lecturers would be implemented in December.
He said the agreement was that the December salary would include arrears for October and November.
“We saw a circular from the PS directing universities to prepare to pay new salaries from December but as we went from Christmas, lecturers went for the holidays without the new salaries as had been expected,” Mutio said.
UASU has called off the lecturers’ strike on November 23, 2024, after signing a return-to-work agreement with the Ministry of Education.
This decision followed the government’s commitment to fully implement the CBA worth Sh9.7 billion.
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.
On Wednesday, Mutio regretted that the government had failed
to honour its pledge.
“They have refused to keep their word twice and this time, we will not go back until we are paid everything,” he added.
“How can you come out and tell Dons we are going to pay you and then you go to the office and continue with business as usual.”
The National Treasury pledged to allocate the entire amount in the 2024/2025 financial year under Supplementary Estimates II.
The implementation will occur in three phases with the first phase, amounting to Sh4.3 billion covering nine months up to June 2025.
The remaining balance will be disbursed in two installments of Sh2.7 billion each.
