TUK staff end long-standing strike after signing deal with govt
By Mustafa Juma, March 17, 2025Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced an end to the long-standing strike by the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) staff.
Ogamba, in a statement issued via his official social media accounts on Monday, March 17, 2025, said that he had witnessed the signing of the return-to-work formula for staff at TUK, putting an end to the strike that had paralyzed learning at the institution since January 23, 2025.
According to Ogamba, the agreement was signed by the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, alongside the university leadership and representatives from UASU and KUSU.
“This afternoon, I witnessed the signing of the Return-to-Work Formula for staff at the Technical University of Kenya. The agreement, signed by the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, alongside the university leadership and representatives from UASU and KUSU, resolves the industrial dispute that had disrupted activities at the institution since January 23, 2025,” Ogamba stated.
TUK resumes operations
Following the agreement, Ogamba says normal operations at the university can now resume.
He further affirmed the TUK’s management commitment to recovering lost time and ensuring that students get back on track with their academic calendar.
“With this agreement in place, normal operations at the university can now resume. The management, in collaboration with all stakeholders, is committed to recovering lost time and ensuring that students get back on track with their academic calendar,” he stated.
TUK students’ protests
Ogamba’s announcement comes weeks after TUK students staged protests in Nairobi CBD seeking his audience over the strike that had paralyzed their learning.
Law enforcement officers were on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, compelled to fire teargas canisters to disperse a section of the students.
Armed with placards and chanting songs, the students were marching towards the Ministry of Education offices at Jogoo House when a contingent of police officers hurled teargas to repel them.
They were headed towards the ministry’s offices to seek an audience with Ogamba and air their grievances over the indefinite closure of the institution.
The university senate ordered the indefinite closure of TUK following a strike by staff over delayed salaries. The university ordered all students to vacate the student residence on February 3, 2025.
The closure came after students were hit with another shocker following the suspension of all diploma and undergraduate examinations scheduled for February 3–15, 2025.
“We would like to inform all the members of staff and the student fraternity that the University Senate, in its special meeting held on 3rd February 2025, resolved to suspend the diploma and undergraduate university examinations scheduled for 3rd-15th February 2025 due to the ongoing industrial action by members of staff of UASU and KUSU,” the statement read.