Lecturers have called off the 49-day strike following a meeting between the Universities unions and Ministry of Education officials, reaching a deal to pay KSh7.9 billion in arrears in two phases.

The first tranche of Sh3.8 billion will be paid between November and December, with the balance set for July 2026. The agreement also requires that the 2025-2029 Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement (CBA) be concluded within 30 days.

UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga confirmed the return-to-work arrangement, saying the unions will resume duties in good faith after assurances that pending issues will be addressed promptly.

Speaking after signing the agreement Wasonga said that if the government honors the agreement, UASU will not call a strike up to 2030.

However, he said if the government does not honor the agreement they are ready tp call the strike as soon as next week.

The unions involved include the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and Kenya Union of Domestic Hotels Educational Institutions Hospitals & Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA).

The deal was witnessed by Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba and his Principal Secretaries, Prof. Julius Bitok (Basic Education) and Beatrice Inyangala (Higher Education and Research).

CS Ogamba said the resumption of lectures will restore normalcy in public universities and allow students to complete the academic calendar without further disruptions.

The announcement comes as a relief for thousands of students who have been idle for over seven weeks, losing valuable learning hours.

Wasonga apologized for the disruption but assured that members are committed to recovering the lost time.

The strike, which began in mid-September, affected all 42 public universities, hitting first-year students particularly hard as they had just completed orientation.

The resolution was facilitated by the National Assembly Committee on Education, which recommended that the outstanding payments be made in two phases instead of three, as previously suggested by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.

The government reiterated its commitment to improving lecturer welfare and ensuring stability in higher education.