Moi University dons and other workers have demanded that the government should release Sh3.9 billion meant for the pay rise of all university workers to avert a looming strike.

They have said they will join their colleagues countywide for a strike if the government does not release the money by today to be reflected in their salaries.

Officials of the Universities Academic Staff Union and two other unions representing the employees met with the workers in Eldoret town and declared support for the planned strike unless the money is paid.

"The government has to honour the collective bargaining agreement which we signed and was deposited at the Industrial Court," said UASU national organising secretary Musalia Edebe.

He said the workers had rejected a circular sent out by Education Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang, in which the government is seeking to revise the CBA agreement.

In the circular Kipsang says the government will provide Sh2.1 billion of the money in the current financial year but the balance of Sh1.8 billion will be released in the revised estimates later.

"We will not accept to have the government stagger our payments against the agreement it signed and that is why we want the money released in full or we down our tools," said Edebe.