Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has applauded the end of the 49-day strike by university lecturers, saying the truce has restored hope to thousands of students whose studies had been paralyzed for nearly two months.
Taking to X, the outspoken senator said he was relieved that the stalemate had finally been resolved, not just as a leader but as a parent.
“For the sake of my biological children and that of the rest of Kenyan children, I celebrate the end of the universities lecturers’ strike,” Khalwale wrote.
The lecturers, under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), had downed tools in mid-September over delayed salary arrears and the government’s failure to honor a previous collective bargaining agreement.
The strike crippled learning in all public universities, disrupting exams, graduations, and academic calendars.
After weeks of deadlock, the unions reached an agreement with the government to suspend the industrial action.
The deal includes a phased payment plan of salary arrears and a commitment to review future working conditions.
Many parents and students expressed relief following the announcement, calling it a breakthrough that will allow students to resume studies and catch up with the lost time.
University administrators have also welcomed the move, saying institutions will work closely with lecturers to restore normal operations.
However, some union officials have warned that they will closely monitor the government’s implementation of the deal, insisting that failure to deliver could reignite the strike.
For now, universities are expected to reopen fully next week as students prepare to return to class.