Moi University lecturers call off three-week strike after breakthrough talks with management
The parties also agreed to promote 56 lecturers who had been interviewed in December last year and to review the statute governing the appointment of deans, restoring the previous appointment procedure.
Moi University lecturers have called off their three-week strike following a breakthrough meeting with the university’s top management, marking a key step in addressing the institution’s long-standing financial and administrative challenges.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) branch at Moi University confirmed that both parties negotiated on several pressing issues, agreeing to resolve them on an issue-by-issue basis.
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The discussions involved UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga, University Council Chairperson Prof. Noah Midambo and Vice Chancellor Prof. Kiplagat Kotut.
“Those who received redundancy letters will return to work as the university council has agreed to withdraw those letters,” UASU branch Secretary General Busolo Wekesa said.
The parties also agreed to promote 56 lecturers who had been interviewed in December last year and to review the statute governing the appointment of deans, restoring the previous appointment procedure. Lecturers returning from further studies abroad will also be eligible for instant promotion.
On pending statutory deductions, arrears and pensions, Wekesa said the union and management agreed to address these once funds are released from the exchequer.
“We have also settled on arrears and pension whereby both parties agreed to settle the matter once the government disburses the funds,” he said.
Wasonga described the meeting as a critical step toward long-term solutions, acknowledging the complexity of the challenges facing the university.
“The crisis meeting has been a significant step towards resolving the issues affecting the university, and as both parties, we are working together to find long-term solutions,” he said.
The strike, which began on August 20, 2025, disrupted learning across the institution. UASU had demanded the payment of Sh9.7 billion in salary arrears, full implementation of the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), restoration of medical cover, remittance of statutory and third-party deductions and resolution of outstanding pension and loan contributions.
During a joint press statement at the main campus in Eldoret, Prof. Midambo acknowledged the university’s financial struggles but reaffirmed the council’s commitment to restoring normal operations and addressing staff welfare.
“We are affirming our collective commitment to upholding high standards of teaching, research, and community service while safeguarding the welfare of our staff,” he said.
He added that all academic programmes would continue uninterrupted.
UASU officials had previously vowed not to resume work until all grievances were addressed, citing attempts to intimidate lecturers into returning under threat of dismissal. The union’s Moi University chapter, led by Chairperson Richard Okero, Acting Secretary Dan Mukhwana, and Organising Secretary Nyabuta Ojuki, emphasised that concrete resolutions were necessary for any return to work.
This marks the second time UASU has suspended industrial action in response to negotiations. A previous strike in November 2024 ended after a three-month standoff, during which the union, alongside the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), signed a return-to-work agreement that was only partially implemented.
Wasonga, recalling the previous agreement, told staff: “To the workers, let us go back to work on Monday. Although we did not get everything we wanted, at least we got something. Even the tail is meat.”
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who witnessed the 2024 agreement, acknowledged the university’s crisis and promised immediate intervention, including leadership restructuring.
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