There is no relief for university students yet after the lecturers vowed to continue with their strike.
The union insists its nationwide strike will continue despite the government releasing Sh4.3 billion to fund a portion of lecturers’ demands.
University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General Constantine Wasonga on Thursday said they will only call off the strike after the government commits to pay Sh5.4 billion.
Wasonga has maintained that the union will not call off the strike until the government commits to clear the Sh5.4 billion balance required to fully implement the Return to Work Formula (RTWF) which totals Sh9.7 billion.
Wesonga was speaking during a meeting with the National Assembly's Education Committee that is midwifing a truce between the unions and the government.
"The strike is on until we get the Sh9.7 billion. We have taken the Sh4.3 billion and the government must tell us how we are getting the Sh5.4 billion and it will not be done verbally," Wesonga said.
Wasonga further urged union members to stand firm.
“I want to tell UASU members, strike until you get money in your bank account,” he said.
The government’s allocation of Sh4.3 billion is an effort to resolve the impasse, but UASU insists that the funds allocated are insufficient.
Students and parents have voiced growing frustration with the ongoing strike, calling on both parties to resolve the differences and come to an agreement.
As the standoff continues, pressure mounts on the government and UASU to come up with a solution.
Last week, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah urged the government and lecturers to resolve the ongoing strike that has paralysed learning in universities.
Omtatah noted that the students remain the hardest hit as the ongoing strike continues to disrupt academic activities taking a toll on them mentally and emotionally.
“The students, unfortunately, remain the most affected by this deadlock. Many are confined to campuses with no access to classes, food, or essential support, leaving them vulnerable and frustrated," Omtatah said.
He called on both the striking lecturers and the government to prioritise the needs of the students and the future of the nation by engaging in collaborative dialogue with urgency and sincerity to resolve the underlying issues and restore normalcy to the universities.
