The Ministry of Education has confirmed the release of Sh2.5 billion to settle part of the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) arrears owed to university academic staff, in a move aimed at averting the ongoing strike by lecturers.
In an official letter addressed to Dr. Constantine Wasonga Opiyo, the National Secretary-General of the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU), Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that the National Treasury has disbursed Sh2.50249 billion to facilitate the implementation of Phase 2 of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“We are pleased to confirm to you that the National Treasury has, on the date hereof, released the sum of Sh. 2.50249 billion to be utilized in the implementation of Phase 2 of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the letter read in part.
The Ministry urged UASU to communicate the development to its members and emphasized the government’s commitment to honoring all obligations agreed upon under the Return-to-Work Formula.
“In view of the foregoing and in the spirit of our collaborative approach to safeguarding the interests of both university staff and students, we request you to withdraw the strike notice,” CS Ogamba stated, referring to UASU’s strike notice dated 10th September 2025.
The disbursement comes after lecturers vowed to down their tools over delayed payments amounting to billions of shillings from both the 2017–2021 and 2021–2025 CBAs. UASU had demanded the immediate release of Sh2.73 billion from Phase Two of 2021-2025 CBA, Sh7.9 billion still outstanding from 2017-2021 CB,A and negotiation and registration of the 2025-2029 CBA.
UASU and the Kenya University Staff Union on Tuesday declared that lecturers will withdraw their labour until their three demands are met.
