By KPC Reporter
After 50 days of paralysis in Kenya’s public universities, the long-running lecturers’ strike has finally come to an end.
This followed the signing of a Return-to-Work Formula between the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) on behalf of employers.
The breakthrough agreement, signed in Nairobi on 5th November 2025, was witnessed by top government and university officials, including Dr Beatrice Inyangala, Principal Secretary for Higher Education, and several vice-chancellors.
It paves the way for thousands of university workers to resume duty immediately.
At the heart of the dispute were delayed arrears and unimplemented Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) for 2017–2021 and 2021–2025, which KUSU said had left many staff demoralised.
Under the new deal, the Government has agreed to release KSh7.76 billion in two instalments—half by December 2025 and the remainder by July 2026—towards fully settling the verified arrears of KSh7.94 billion owed to academic and non-teaching staff.
In addition, the Ministry of Education confirmed that all withheld salaries and benefits for September and October will be paid by 10th November.
No employee will lose their job, salary, or seniority for participating in the strike, while those whose contracts were terminated will be reinstated unconditionally.
The agreement also compels universities to withdraw all disciplinary actions, warning letters, and lockouts issued during the strike period.
KUSU officials, led by National Chairperson Dr Philip Onyango and Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya, hailed the deal as a “victory for dialogue and fairness.”
Dr Mukhwaya said the union’s priority now is to help restore academic normalcy. “Our members are ready to get back to work and recover the time lost,” he said.
On their part, university administrators acknowledged the toll the strike had taken on institutions and students alike.
“We are relieved that learning will resume. It’s been a tough period for everyone,” said one vice-chancellor who signed the pact.
Both sides agreed to fast-track fresh negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA within 30 days to prevent a repeat of the stalemate.
The document closes a painful chapter in the higher education sector and gives hope that harmony can once again return to Kenya’s lecture halls.