The ongoing strike by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), now in its second week, has significantly disrupted learning at all public universities in Kenya.
In an effort to resolve the impasse, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua engaged union leaders in discussions on Wednesday. The meeting, attended by UASU Secretary General Dr. Constantine Wasonga and KUSU Secretary General Dr. Charles Mukhwaya, led to the formation of an inter-ministerial negotiating team.
According to CS Mutua, this committee will focus on addressing the unions' concerns and drafting a return-to-work agreement. The team will include representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), public universities, the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC), and the two unions.
Did you read this?
CS Mutua emphasized the urgency of resolving the issues behind the strike, stressing the importance of proactive solutions to avoid future disruptions. "We cannot allow these matters to persist and jeopardize the education of thousands of students," he said after the meeting.
He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to fair and balanced negotiations, emphasizing that once Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are signed, they must be honored. "If challenges arise, workers need to be informed transparently and in a timely manner."
The unions are pressing for resolutions on salary increases, allowances, and other concerns highlighted in the CBA. The inter-ministerial team is set to begin talks the following day, with all parties working toward a swift resolution.
The strike has affected thousands of students, but both the government and unions remain hopeful that ongoing negotiations will soon restore normal operations at public universities.
