Lecturers face sack as pay dispute paralyses varsities
Education
By
Lewis Nyaundi and Mike Kihaki
| Oct 15, 2025
Lecturers now risk losing their jobs after participating in a strike over a pay dispute that has entered its 28th day, following the collapse of an audit to confirm the sums owed to university staff.
The Ministry of Education on Turesday,warned that public university leaders might take disciplinary action after the Employment and Labour Relations Court declared the strike illegal.
Prof. Daniel Mugendi, chairman of the Vice‑Chancellors’ Committee, said responses would vary by institution: “Universities are autonomous … each can take action varying from suspension, disciplinary summons and even sacking because the strike is illegal.”
The Ministry disowned claims that Sh7.7 billion is owed to lecturers under the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), following an audit in Machakos. Higher Education PS Dr Beatrice Inyangala said part of the sum has already been paid.
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Universities have been instructed to provide detailed breakdowns of prior payments to determine the actual outstanding balance. “The audit had three reference questions … what has already been paid is currently in progress,” she said.
Staff unions, however, called the verification effort a “wild goose chase.” The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga accused the PS of blocking the audit report confirming the Sh7.7 billion debt. “We will not allow them to steal from us,” he said.
A joint technical audit by officials, the universities, and UASU revealed that the total financial requirement under the 2017–2021 CBA is Sh16.57 billion: Sh13.81 billion in basic pay arrears and Sh2.76 billion in pension contributions. The government had disbursed Sh8.8 billion, leaving Sh7.77 billion outstanding.
The court previously ruled that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission's (SRC) computation was flawed, upholding the universities’ methodology and affirming that annual increments must be paid.
Wasonga insisted lecturers will not return until all arrears are cleared. “Our members have been patient for too long … the universities will remain closed if the government fails to act,” he said.
Dr Inyangala maintained the government’s commitment to transparency and pledged to present the verified figures to court for final determination.
The strike, now in week four, has disrupted learning across 41 public universities, affecting over 500,000 students. Yesterday, students from Multimedia University and the University of Nairobi joined protests; at Nairobi, they marched to State House Road before being dispersed by police.